As a 1630-tonner authorized in 1940, known at the time to shipmates as a Livermore-class ship, the specifications for Gwin reflected the characteristics of the ten Gleaves-class ships built at Boston Navy Yard: Length Overall: 348' 3"
DATA | Name: United States Ship Gwin
Type: Destroyer
Namesake: Lieutenant Commander William Gwin
Navy Classification: DD 433
Class: DD 423, Gleaves, also Livermore
Builder: Boston Navy Yard, Charlestown, Massachusetts
Keel laid: 1 June 1939
Launched: 25 May 1940
Commissioned: 15 January 1941
Lost: 13 July 1943 |
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Extreme Beam: 36' 3"
Normal Displacement: 1,630 long tons
Draft: Mean: 13' 5"
Designed Complement: Officers, 11; Enlisted, 201
Designed Shaft Horsepower: 51,000
Designed Speed: 35 knots
Screws: Two
Rudder: One
Stacks: Two
As commissioned, Gwin’s armament was typical for a mid-1941 Livermore-class destroyer armed as follows:. Primary: 5 x 5-inch/38 cal. in five single mounts, gunhouses on Nos. 1, 2 and 5.
Short-range anti-aircraft: 6 x 0.50 cal. machine guns
Torpedo Tubes: 10 x 21-inch in two quintuple mount
ASW: 2 racks for 600-lb. charges; 4 “K”-guns for 300-lb. charges
Her electronics were typical of the period just before SG (surface search) radar became available: In common with other destroyers of DesDiv 22, her No. 3 5-inch gun was removed to reduce topweight and 20mm single Oerlikons replaced her 0.50 cal. machine guns as follows: Primary: 4 x 5-inch/38 cal. in four single mounts
Short-range anti-aircraft: 6 x 20mm single Oerlikon
Torpedo Tubes: 10 x 21-inch in two quintuple mount
ASW: 2 racks for 600-lb. charges; 4 “K”-guns for 300-lb. charges
In a refit at Mare Island, February 1943, SG radar was fitted and her two after 20mm guns were replaced by 40mm twin Bofors. Her final armament was as follows: Primary: 4 x 5-inch/38 cal. in four single mounts
Long-range anti-aircraft: 4 x 40mm twin Bofors
Short-range anti-aircraft: 4 x 20mm single Oerlikon
Torpedo Tubes: 10 x 21-inch in two quintuple mount
ASW: 2 racks for 600-lb. charges; 4 “K”-guns for 300-lb. charges
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