USS Trathen DD 530 circa 1960 help needed

David

Because the Trathen was a Fletcher class destroyer don't limit your search to just the Trathen. I was looking over the USS Fletcher web site and there are several photos that maybe helpful to you as well as the NavSource: Destoyer Photo Archive. Only 3 ships received the FRAM and FRAM II overhaul they were the Radford, Jenkins and Nichols. The general deck and gun arrangment.

sweeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeet!!!

Thanks so much!

David

David

I suggest you visit the Floating Drydock. They are a comprehensive and well documented source of Navy drawings and ship plans. I'll scrounge around and see if I can find any photos that may be helpful. Send me an email and I'll get back to you with what I find.

David,

What photos are you looking at?  The one that I see that seems most likely to resemble the 1960 rig is at navsource.org (where we can't hotlink to here), the second and third photos up from the bottom of the page for DD-530 Trathen.

When I look hard at the third photo up from the bottom, marked 1957, it appears to me to be identical to the rig of USS The Sullivans for the drawings marked February 1959 in the "Anatomy of the Ship - The Destroyer The Sullivans", by Al Ross.  There are plan and elevation drawings and a number of detail views.

 It shows between the stacks to be a pair of twin 3"50cal gun mounts, port and stbd.  Centerline is a ready service locker for 3" ammunition.

There are no 20mm or 40mm guns on the ship in this 1959 drawing.

 Hope this helps,

Rick Heinbaugh 

hi Zellars

the locations would be perfect. The photos I have are so grainy I cannot (as a non-ship modeler) make out what I am looking at. most were taken from half a mile away with poor contrast. I am really at a loss of where the 40s are mounted. 

Also, between the stacks there is a large black device where the 5 mount tube used to be located. What is this ? I cannot make out its shape.

thanks in adavnce!

David

Thanks gusy I really do appreciate the help!  We were given no information other than the timespan and that was all....soo....this really helps!

David

EdGrune wrote:

The 40s were also likely landed in favor of 3"/50 twins.   These may have had a radar-controlled director on the mount.    The photos do seem to show a pair of directors on the raised structure between the stacks.   The 3-inch guns were in the raised tubs adjacent to the aft stack and in the raised tub aft - between the 53 and 54 mount.

The 3"/50 twin mount was radar directed locally.  It also featured a rotating loader similar to the Army's 90mm AAA mount (skysweeper?)  Some ships "lost" their 53 mount when they upgraded to the 3" installation.  I've plumbed my father's '55-58 time on Boyd, DD-554, as well as my own research.  The torpedo tubes were reduced to one mount of five tubes, to then become a pair of three-tube Mk 28, P&S.  Depth charge arrangement was 4, then 2, P&S K guns, and twin roller racks.  That was reduced in the mid fifties to no K guns and only the one roller rack.

The changes were made on many of the Fletchers, and the "upgrade" (as opposed to FRAM) program seemed to favor late-war built Fletchers "first."  But, as with verything else destroyer-related in the USN, you have to go searching and searching and searching, looking for references specific to the hull and time you are keen on.

See a couple of shots of the Trathen on Navsource

http://www.navsource.org/archives/05/0553002.jpg

http://www.navsource.org/archives/05/0553003.jpg

(Navsource doesn't allow hot-linking so I couldn't post the pictures directly)

The first is reported to be dated 1957.

I doubt if there were 20mm guns onboard in the mid-to-late 50s.   Twenties had developed the reputation of being the weapon of last resort during WWII.   When the 20s opened up, it was time to duck & cover.   They made the sailors feel that they were doing something.

The 40s were also likely landed in favor of 3"/50 twins.   These may have had a radar-controlled director on the mount.    The photos do seem to show a pair of directors on the raised structure between the stacks.   The 3-inch guns were in the raised tubs adjacent to the aft stack and in the raised tub aft - between the 53 and 54 mount.  

If you look at the first photo you can see that the twin 40s that were below the bridge have been replaced by a pair of Hedgehog launchers and ready lockers.   Look too at the main deck - waist.  there are no 20mm guns, but the DC throwers are retained.   The aft deck also is fairly clear except for a pair of roll-off racks.

Get a copy of the Anatomy of the Ship-The Sullivans.  It has a lot of good information on a mid-to-late 50s Fletcher