Destroyers - The Workhorses of the Fleet

"It is better to die on your feet than to live on your knees"
- Emiliano Zapata

In the late 1800's small inexpensive torpedo boats started to threaten the armored cruiser and dreadnoughts of the era. The need for a fast, agile warship to counter this treat was needed. This class of ships were originally called torpedo destroyers then later just destroyers.

As the twentieth century dawned, destroyers grew to be the general purpose work horse of the fleet. For most of the world's navies, they have assumed the role of the heavy surface combatant, sense very few nations can afford to build cruisers. Click here for excellent online resource by the U.S Naval Historical Center.

USS Charles F Addams (DDG2) underway 561 X 383 pixels 30K

USS Kidd (DDG993) in port Norfolk 537 X 325 pixels 32K 100dpi
She was decommissioned of 12 March " year: ?"and is now in lay up at the former Philadelphia Navy Yard.

USS Kidd stern photo 48K 568 X 386 pixels 100dpi

USS Kidd at rest, Philadelphia Navy Yard. 1000 X 388 pixels 39K.

USS Paul Hamilton ( DDG-60) Pearl Harbor Hawaii, Friday 16 March 2001

USS Mitscher (DDG57) underway bow B&W 42K

USS Mitscher underway forward port quarter B&W postcard 384 X 554 pixels 78K

USS Mitscher underway stern 748 X 511 pixels 90K

USS Scott (DDG995) underway 582 X 402 pixels 32K 100dpi

USS Scott & USS Peterson (DD 969) "Destroyers!" in port Norfolk Va. 800 X 553 pixels 54K

USS Sellers ( DDG-11) under way mid-Atlantic, January 1989.

USS Sellers pulling away from Austin after completing a fuel transfer.

USS Sellers (DDG-11) & USS Moinster (FF 1097) inport Naples Italy 800 X 537 pixels 49K

Russian Sovremenny class destroyer Otchyanny in Norfolk Va. July 1989. B&W 640 X 420 pixels 35K.

Russian Destroyer Otchyanny with USS Stump (DD-978) - B&W 1000 X 436 pixels 59K.


Click here for more info

Click here for a webpage devoted to the history and modeling Brittans Royal navy's Sheffield Class Type 42 air defence destroyers

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Last updated Sunday, 15 December 2002