Rudderow Class Destroyer Escort

The ''Rudderow''-class destroyer escorts were destroyer escorts launched in the United States in 1943 to 1945. Of this class, 22 were completed as destroyer escorts, and 50 were completed as s and were re-classified as high speed transport APDs. One ship was converted to an APD after completion. They served in World War II as convoy escorts and anti-submarine warfare ships.

History

The lead ship was which was launched on 14 October 1943. The ships had General Electric steam turbo-electric drive engines. The ships were built at various shipyards in the United States, including the Philadelphia Navy Yard and Defoe Shipbuilding Company. They were very similar to the , having the same hull and machinery. The main differences were the ''Rudderow''s had two enclosed guns and two twin- 40 mm mounts, instead of the three open guns and one twin-40 mm or one quad mount of the ''Buckley''s. Another major difference is the style of the configuration of the area of the bridge and pilothouse which is low and enclosed compared to the Buckley Class which is tall and enclosed. The Rudderow Class is similar to the John C. Butler Class in this case and a distinguishing feature between these two class DEs is the size and number of the portholes in the pilothouse. The Rudderow class has seven 16-inch portholes and the John C. Butler Class has nine 12-inch portholes, with both classes having three portholes facing the bow. The class was also known as the TEV type from their Turbo-Electric drive and 5-inch (V) guns.

The final 180 of the class were canceled near the end of the war. After World War II, some of the surviving units of this class were transferred to Taiwan, South Korea, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, and other countries. The rest were retained by the US Navy's reserve fleet until they were decommissioned. The , sold to the Colombian Navy and renamed to the ARC ''Córdoba'' (DT 15), is the sole survivor of her class and is preserved at the Jaime Duque amusement park at Tocancipá, near Bogotá in Colombia.

File:View forward from mast of USS Chaffee (DE-230).jpg, View forward from the mast of ''Rudderow''-class USS ''Chaffee'' (DE-230) showing 5in and 40mm guns.
File:View aft from mast of USS Chafee (DE-230).jpg, View aft from the mast of ''Rudderow''-class USS ''Chaffee'' (DE-230) showing rear 5in and 40mm guns, depth charge racks, depth charge projectors and torpedo tubes.

Ships in Class

See also

* List of destroyer escorts of the United States Navy
* List of frigates of the United States Navy subset of above with hull numbers DE/FF 1037 and higher plus all DEG/FFGs because of the United States Navy 1975 ship reclassification
* List of frigates

References

External links

Destroyer History.org - Rudderow-class destroyer escort
* Destroyer Escort Sailors Association (DESA).

{{DEFAULTSORT:Rudderow Class Destroyer Escort