Dealey Class DE

    Built originally as an improvement over previous coastal escorts, the 13 vessels of the DEALEY class of Destroyer Escorts were indeed fast and seaworthy however this speed came at the cost of being under-armed to combat the very submarines they might encounter in a open-sea transit. 

    Accordingly, in fiscal year 1962, the Dealey class received a "modernization" that was part of FRAM. This modernization brought the modern SQS-23 sonar with its 10,000 yard detection range along with the DASH weapon system to deliver the single MK-46 torpedo that the DEALEYs carried. Under this modernization program, all DEs but Dealey , Courtney (DE-1021) and Cromwell (DE-1014) received DASH and the improved sonar. These three unconverted ships retained all their guns, the original SQS-4 sonar as well as their variable depth sonar. The Dealey class really was the Navy's attempt to have a design that could be put into production quickly in the event another war broke out resulting in the need for quick mobilization. Accordingly, the ship came with a single engine room, single screw yet twin rudders to make sharp turns. The superstructure was all-aluminum saving over 40% in top-side weight and they were electronically equipped to handle convoy work to keep the sea channels clear.  Below we list the DEALEYs that received their modernization. We do not break down this class into the EVANS class as the HAMMERBERG and LESTER both eventually received DASH thus nullifying the EVANS class. 

    At left, a QH-50D positioned on USS HAMMERBERG (DE-1015) during testing of the new DASH sonobuoy drop system, called DESJEZ. DEStroyer JEZebel system, as it was referred to, allowed the launching ship to extend its' sonar detection far beyond what the DEALEY class ship-based SQS-23 sonar's 10,000 yard range was capable of.
    These ASW tests using the sonobuoy launcher and monitor developed by Gyrodyne for the Navy also eventually included extra fuel tanks, transponders, and telemetry for long distance travel and monitoring. 
    The evaluation results were OUTSTANDING with the DASH operating out to 72,000 yards and monitoring the sonobuoys with 92% detection and tracking!  One special item to note in the after-action report that stated that the DASH was STILL TRACKING a surface ship at 16 miles, as the DASH was LANDING on HAMMERBURG!

Here follows the DEALEY class Destroyer Escorts that received FRAM and therefore DASH:

DEALEY CLASS DESTROYER ESCORTS (DE)
that received a FRAM Modernization

Name of Ship

Hull No.

Builder

Launched

Stricken Date
HAMMERBERG
1015
Bath Iron Works, Bath Maine
20 Aug. 1954
14 Dec. 1973
LESTER
1022
Defoe Shipbuilding, Bay City MI.
05 Jan. 1956
14 Dec. 1973
EVANS
1023
Puget Sound Bridge & Dredging, Seattle, WA.
14 Sept. 1955
03 Dec. 1973
BRIDGET
1024
Puget Sound Bridge & Dredging, Seattle, WA.
24 Oct. 1957
12 Nov. 1973
BAUER
1025
Bethlehem Steel, Alameda, CA.
07 June 1957
03 Dec. 1973
HOOPER
1026
Bethlehem Steel, Alameda, CA.
01 Aug. 1957
06 June 1973
JOHN WILLIS
1027
New York Shipbuilding, NYC.
04 Feb. 1956
14 July 1972
VAN VOORHIS
1028
New York Shipbuilding, NYC.
28 July 1956
01 July 1972
HARTLEY
1029
New York Shipbuilding, NYC.
26 Jan. 1957
08 July 1972
JOSEPH K TAUSSIG
1030
New York Shipbuilding, NYC.
09 Mar. 1956
01 July 1972


DEALEY CLASS DESTROYER SPECIFICATIONS
Displacement:
1,314 tons light (1,877 tons full load)
Dimensions:
315' 0" x 36' 8" beam x 11' 10" maximum draft 
Guns:
2 qty, TWIN 3 inch/50 caliber MK 33 guns.
Weapons:
2 qty, DASH Helicopters carrying the single MK-46 torpedo, Weapon Alpha known as the MK 108 Rocket Launcher. DE-1023  to 1026 received eventually two Mark 32 triple-torpedo launcher with Alpha being removed. 
Machinery:
1 Westinghouse turbine coupled to a de Laval locked-train double reduction gears. 1 shaft, SHP: 20,000 = 27.0 knots
Boilers:
TWO Foster Wheeler working pressure 565 PSI at 850 degrees F
Oil Fuel:
400 tons
Radius:
 At 1,877 tons full load, maximum speed is 27.0 knots. 
 Endurance rates: 
4,500 nautical miles at 15 knots OR 
6,000 nautical miles at 12 knots.
Complement:
Dealey, Courtney and Cromwell: 149 (9 Officers and 140 men)
All others: 170 (11 Officers and 159 men)
 

 

 

Below are some special DASH-equipment-On-Ship pictures taken during FRAM of a DEALEY class, Destroyer Escort, the USS JOSEPH K TAUSSIG (DE-1030). These were taken at Boston Navy Yard on June 15, 1965.

 

USS JOSEPH K TAUSSIG (DE-1030)

     Laid down by the New York Shipbuilding yard on January 3, 1956, the TAUSSIG was launched on 9 March 1957 with commissioning on 10 September 1957. The TAUSSIG served for 14 years with the Atlantic Fleet until being decommissioned and stricken on July 1, 1972. She was sold 11 months later and broken up for scrap.

     This is the Aft radio room of the TAUSSIG. from left to right, the AN/SRM-4 Target Control Test set (which tested the performance of the target control system), twin installation of the AN/URM-14A Radio transmitters with URW-11A test set below it and at far right, the AN/SRM-6 Target Control test set which simulated signals to control the drone.

   Above is the DASH Deck Control station on the TAUSSIG. The item with the "stick" is the Transmitter Control (C-3314/SRW-4C). This control provided the control functions to govern the flight of the QH-50 Drone from lift-off from the deck to 100 yards astern the ship where CIC would take over. Above the C-3314, is the Control monitor (C-4298/ASW-20) which would be used to start the DASH drone. To the left of that is the C-2801/SRW-4 transmitter control which allowed for switching of transmitters and antennas for better performance of the system.

 

   At left, the Combat Information Center (CIC) on the USS JOSEPH K TAUSSIG (DE-1030). At center is the DASH CIC C-3313/SRW-4C controller. Above it, is the C-2804/SRW-4 transmitter control and at right, to track the DASH drone, is the ship's radar SPA-25 radar repeater. When the sonar (target) and radar (drone position) positions converged, the CIC controller could then order to drop the MK-46 torpedo DASH carried on the DEALEY class DE. Range was dependent on the height of the mast of the ship, but the average range was 12 1/2 miles.

 

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