History of USS Lafite (DD-459)

Benson class destroyers built for the US Navy between 1938 and 1943, 30 ships in the family including USS Laffey (DD-459) - not to be confused with USS Laffey (DD-724), surfaced a few years later . USS Laffey (DD-459) was laid by Bethlehem Shipbuilding in San Francisco, California on January 13, 1941 and launched on October 31, 1941 - just months before the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor, Hawaii (which plunged the United States into WW2 port). Commissioned on March 31, 1942, she will be a victim of war by the end of the year.

When built, USS Lafite had a full-load displacement of 1,620 tons, a length of 347.9 feet, a beam of 36 feet, and a draft of nearly 17.8 feet. The installed power consists of 4 Babcock & Wilcox boilers providing 2 shafts to 2 Bethlehem Steel gear steam turbines producing 50,000 hp.

Top speed reaches 37.5 knots and range is up to 7,500 miles.

Her profile includes an integrated bridge and main mast for the front superstructure. At the back are two smoke funnels (inline) and a shorter superstructure. Compared to the stern, her bow is significantly raised, with the hull lines extending towards the stern.

Her total crew number was 208 officers and men - although she carried 247 in her final battle.

The armament line is led by 4 x 5" (127 mm)/38 caliber dual-purpose (DP) guns mounted on armored turrets (single emplacement, two front and three rear. 5 x 20 mm Oerlikon Anti-aircraft (AA) guns handle close-range air threats and 3 x 21" (530mm) torpedo tubes handle surface ship threats.

5 depth charge projectors are installed for anti-submarine warfare (ASW), as well as 2 depth charge tracers. [ /p]

Destroyers were originally developed to counter the threat of torpedo boats to capital ships in the early 1900s. This used to refer to them as "torpedo boat destroyers", although by World War II these types were simply considered "destroyers".

These ships are fast, maneuverable, and moderately armed, and can operate in deep water independently of a fleet or as part of a large combat naval force.

During World War II, Lafite underwent her "makeover" on the West Coast of the United States. She arrived in Efate by the end of August 1942 and joined Task Force 18 (TF18) the following month. As the USS Wasp sank, her emergency services were called.

TF64 was subsequently added before the end of September.

She then took part in the Battle of Cape Esperance (Second Battle of Savo Island) on 11-12 October. Her 5" gun was aimed at the enemy and she hit the enemy cruiser IJN Aoba - damaging the ship. She escorted the transport ship in November before inflicting damage on the battleship IJN Hiei in the naval battle of Guadalcanal. A battle approached the small battleship, and she herself was damaged by projectiles and torpedoes, immobilizing her. The order to abandon the ship was issued, and the ship was lost.

However, an internal explosion worsened the situation, claiming the lives of dozens of crew members. The damage was enough to destroy the ship and the remains of the crew still on board in a short period of time. During the battle, 59 of her crew were killed and 116 wounded.

She and her crew were awarded three Battle Stars and the Navy Presidential Unit Medal for their service.

USS Lafite (DD-724) Restored USS Lafite (detailed elsewhere on this page), commissioned in 1944 and known as the "Ship of the Undead". The incarnation successfully survived the remainder of the war and served in the Cold War for decades before being decommissioned and preserved as a floating museum in Patriots Point, South Carolina.

USS Laffey (DD-459) Specification

Basic

Year:
1942
Status:
Operation failed
Addition:
208 people

Roles

- Blue Water Operations

- Fleet Support

- Hunter

- direct attack

Dimensions

Length:

341 feet (103.94 m)

width/width:

36 feet (10.97 m)

Elevation/Draft:

5.43m

Weight

Displacement (surface):

2,500 tons

Performance

4 x Babcock & Wilcox boilers and 2 x Bethlehem Steel gear steam turbines, 50,000hp developed on 2 x shafts.

Performance

Speed ??(surface):

38 kn (43 mph)

Area:

6,517 nautical miles (7,500 miles; 12,070 km)

Armor

4 x 5" (127 mm)/38 caliber guns in four single gun turrets (two front, two rear).

5 x 20 mm Oerlikon anti-aircraft gun (AA)

3 x 21" (530mm) torpedo tubes

5 x Deep Charge Projector

2 deep magazine racks

Wing

No.

Related stuff

1400 1514 1587 1765 1774 1775 1776 1782 1785 1786 1791 1797 1811 1813 1819 1840 1841 1842 1852 1853 1855 1856 1857 1859 1860 1861 1862 1863 1864 1865 1866 1867 1868 1869 1870 1873 1874 1875 1877 1878 1885 1886 1888 1889 1895 1896 1897 1898 1900 1901 1902 1903 1904 1905 1906 1907 1908 1909 1910 1911 1912 1913 1914 1915 1916 1917 1918 1919 1920 1921 1922 1923 1924 1925 1926 1927 1928 1929 1930 1931 1932 1933 1934 1935 1936 1937 1938 1939 1940 1941 1942 1943 1944 1945 1946 1947 1948 1949 1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022
Contact  |  Privacy Policy