As one of the early Fletchers built at Bath Iron Works, hull 193, Strong, exhibited the characteristics of high-bridge 2100-ton Fletcher-class ships built there. Length Overall: 376' 5½" Extreme Beam: 39' 8" Normal Displacement: 2,050 long tons Draft: Light: 8' 1"; Mean: 13' 5" Deep: 22’8” Designed Complement: Officers, 34; Enlisted, 295 Designed Shaft Horsepower: 60,000 Designed Speed: 36 knots Screws: Two Rudder: One Stacks: Two Tactical diameter: 950 yards at 30 knots Endurance: 4,800 nautical miles at 15 knots
At launch, Strong carried a high platform deck intended for a 1.1-inch anti-aircraft gun between the Nos. 3 and 4 5-inch gunhouses, but experience with ships already in service showed this tended to overheat and jam in service. As commissioned, therefore, Strong mounted one of the newly-available twin 40mm Bofors in this location, plus a second 40mm twin on the fantail, giving her the typical 1942–43 armament for an early high-bridge Fletcher: Primary: 5 x 5-inch/38 cal. in five single mounts Long-range anti-aircraft: 4 x 40mm Bofors in two twin mounts Short-range anti-aircraft: 4 x 20mm Oerlikon in single mounts Torpedo Tubes: 10 x 21-inch in two quintuple mounts ASW: 2 racks for 600-lb. charges; 6 “K”-guns for 300-lb. charges
Her electronics were also typical: Radar: SC (air search) and SG (surface search), Mk 37 (fire control) Sonar: QC
Strong was lost before receiving any modifications. References: Friedman and Bath Iron Works plans for hull no. 193. |