Hull Number: DD-518
Launch Date: 09/24/1942
Commissioned Date: 02/03/1943
Class: FLETCHER
FLETCHER Class
Data for USS Fletcher (DD-445) as of 1945
Length Overall: 376’ 5"
Beam: 39’ 7"
Draft: 13’ 9"
Standard Displacement: 2,050 tons
Full Load Displacement: 2,940 tons
Fuel capacity: 3,250 barrels
Armament:
Five 5″/38 caliber guns
Five 40mm twin anti-aircraft mounts
Two 21″ quintuple torpedo tubes
Complement:
20 Officers
309 Enlisted
Propulsion:
4 Boilers
2 General Electric Turbines: 60,000 horsepower
Highest speed on trials: 35.2 knots
Namesake: WILLARD HERBERT BROWNSON
WILLARD HERBERT BROWNSON
Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (Published 1959)
Born in Lyons, NY, 8 July 1846, Willard Herbert Brownson graduated from the Academy in 1865. He commanded the protected cruiser Detroit at Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, during the revolution of 1893-94 and Yankee during the Spanish-American War. From 1900 until 1902 he was Superintendent of the Naval Academy. He became Commander-in-Chief of the Asiatic Fleet 15 October 1906. After his retirement in July 1907 he continued on active duty as Chief of the Bureau of Navigation by order of President Theodore Roosevelt. Rear Admiral Brownson died at Washington, DC, 16 March 1935.
Disposition:
Sunk 12/26/1943, by dive bombers off Cape Gloucester, New Britain, at 05 deg 20 min S., 148 deg 25 min E.