View source for Rudderow-class destroyer escort

{{Short description|Class of American destroyer escorts}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2021}}
{|{{Infobox ship begin}}
{{Infobox ship image
| Ship image = USS Rudderow (DE-224) underway off the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard on 15 July 1944 (19-N-69261).jpg
| Ship caption = USS ''Rudderow''
}}
{{Infobox ship class overview
| Name = ''Rudderow'' class
| Builders = *[[Bethlehem-Hingham Shipyard|Bethlehem Hingham]], MA
*[[Fore River Shipyard|Bethlehem Fore River]], MA
*[[Charleston Navy Yard]], SC
*[[Defoe Shipbuilding Company|Defoe Shipbuilding]], MI
*[[Philadelphia Navy Yard]], PA
| Operators = *{{navy|United States|1912}}
*{{naval|Republic of China}}
*{{naval|Colombia}}
*{{navy|South Korea}}
*{{naval|Mexico}}
| Class before = {{sclass|Edsall|destroyer escort|4}}
| Class after = {{sclass|John C. Butler|destroyer escort|4}}
| Subclasses = 
| Built range = 1943–1944
| In commission range = 1943–1992
| Total ships building = 
| Total ships planned = 252
| Total ships completed = 22
| Total ships cancelled = 180
| Total ships active = 
| Total ships laid up = 
| Total ships lost = 
| Total ships retired = 
| Total ships preserved = 1
}}
{{Infobox ship characteristics
| Hide header = 
| Header caption = 
| Ship type = [[Destroyer escort]]
| Ship displacement = 1,740 tons (1,770 [[metric ton]]s) (fully loaded)
| Ship length = {{convert|306|ft|m|1|abbr=on}} (overall)
| Ship beam = {{convert|36|ft|6|in|m|1|abbr=on}}
| Ship draught = 
| Ship draft = {{convert|11|ft|m|1|abbr=on}} (fully loaded)
| Ship propulsion = *[[General Electric]] steam turbo-electric drive [[engine]]
*Two 3-bladed propellers {{convert|8|ft|5|in|m|1|abbr=on}} diameter
| Ship speed = 24 knots (most ships could attain 26/27 knots)
| Ship range = 5,500 nautical miles at 15 knots (10,200 km at 28&nbsp;km/h)
| Ship complement = 15 Officers, 168 Enlisted
| Ship sensors = * [[Radar]]: Type SL surface search on mast above yard arm ([[SC radar|type SC]] and SA air search fitted to certain ships).<!-- British and American ships varied-->
* [[Sonar]]: Type 128D or Type 144 both in retractable dome..<!-- British and American ships varied-->
* Direction Finding: MF antenna in front of the bridge and HF/DF Type FH 4 antenna fitted on mast.
| Ship EW = 
| Ship armament = * 2 × [[5-inch/38-caliber gun|5-inch/38 dual-purpose]]
* 4 × [[Bofors 40 mm Automatic Gun L/60|40 mm]] [[Bofors]] in twin mounts in the 'B' and 'X' position.  10 × [[Oerlikon 20 mm cannon|20 mm]] single mount [[Oerlikon Contraves|Oerlikon]] cannon, four either side of the bridge, four in sponsons abaft the funnel, two on the [[fantail (ship)|fantail]]
* '''[[Torpedo tube]]s:'''  three [[American 21-inch torpedo|21-inch (533 mm)]] torpedo tubes aft of the stack.
* '''[[Hedgehog (weapon)|Hedgehog]]:''' [[anti-submarine]] mortar, on the main deck aft of 'A' gun.
* '''[[Depth charge]]s:''' Two double rails at the stern and eight K-gun throwers.
| Ship armour = 
| Ship armor = 
| Ship aircraft = 
| Ship aircraft facilities = 
| Ship notes = 
}}
|}

The '''''Rudderow''-class destroyer escorts''' were [[destroyer escort]]s launched in the [[United States]] in 1943 to 1945.  Of this class, 22 were completed as destroyer escorts, and 50 were completed as {{sclass|Crosley|high speed transport|1}}s and were re-classified as [[high speed transport]] APDs. One ship was converted to an APD after completion.  They served in [[World War II]] as [[convoy]] escorts and [[anti-submarine warfare]] ships.

==History==
The lead ship was {{USS|Rudderow|DE-224|6}} which was launched on 14 October 1943. The ships had [[General Electric]] steam turbo-electric drive [[engine]]s. The ships were built at various shipyards in the United States, including the [[Philadelphia Navy Yard]] and [[Defoe Shipbuilding Company]]. They were very similar to the {{sclass|Buckley|destroyer escort|4}}, having the same hull and machinery. The main differences were the ''Rudderow''s had two {{convert|5|in|mm|adj=on|0}} enclosed guns and two twin-[[Bofors 40 mm Automatic Gun L/60|40&nbsp;mm]] mounts, instead of the three {{convert|3|in|mm|adj=on|0}} open guns and one twin-40&nbsp;mm or [[1.1-inch/75-caliber gun|one quad]] {{convert|1.1|in|mm|adj=on}} mount of the ''Buckley''s. Another major difference is the style of the configuration of the area of the bridge and pilothouse which is low and enclosed compared to the Buckley Class which is tall and enclosed. The Rudderow Class is similar to the John C. Butler Class in this case and a distinguishing feature between these two class DEs is the size and number of the portholes in the pilothouse. The Rudderow class has seven 16-inch portholes and the John C. Butler Class has nine 12-inch portholes, with both classes having three portholes facing the bow. The class was also known as the TEV type from their Turbo-Electric drive and 5-inch (V) guns.<ref>U.S. Destroyers, an illustrated design history by Norman Friedman, {{ISBN|1-55750-442-3}} Chapter 7</ref>

The final 180 of the class were canceled near the end of the war. After World War II, some of the surviving units of this class were transferred to [[Navy of Taiwan|Taiwan]], [[Navy of South Korea|South Korea]], [[Navy of Chile|Chile]], [[Navy of Colombia|Colombia]], [[Navy of Mexico|Mexico]], and other countries. The rest were retained by the [[United States Navy|US Navy's]] [[reserve fleet]] until they were decommissioned.{{Cn|date=September 2022}} The {{USS|Ruchamkin|DE-228|6}}, sold to the [[Colombian Navy]] and renamed to the ARC ''Córdoba'' (DT 15),<ref>{{cite web |title=Ruchamkin (DE-228) |url=https://www.history.navy.mil/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/r/ruchamkin.html |website=Naval History and Heritage Command |publisher=U.S. Navy |access-date=14 November 2024}}</ref> is the sole survivor of her class and is preserved at the [[Jaime Duque Park|Jaime Duque amusement park]] at [[Tocancipá]], near [[Bogotá]] in [[Colombia]].<ref>{{cite web |title=High-speed Transport APD/LPR-89 Ruchamkin |url=https://www.navsource.org/archives/10/04/04089.htm |website=www.navsource.org |access-date=14 November 2024}}</ref>

[[File:Diagram of US Navy WWII destroyer escort.png|400px|left]]

<gallery mode=packed heights="300px">
File:View forward from mast of USS Chaffee (DE-230).jpg|View forward from the mast of ''Rudderow''-class [[USS Chaffee (DE-230)|USS ''Chaffee'' (DE-230)]] showing 5in and 40mm guns.
File:View aft from mast of USS Chafee (DE-230).jpg|View aft from the mast of ''Rudderow''-class [[USS Chaffee (DE-230)|USS ''Chaffee'' (DE-230)]] showing rear 5in and 40mm guns, depth charge racks, depth charge projectors and torpedo tubes.
</gallery>

==Ships in Class==
{| class="sortable wikitable plainrowheaders"
|+ Construction data
|-
! scope="col" style="white-space: nowrap;" | Ship name
! scope="col" | {{abbr|Hull no.|Hull number}}
! scope="col" | Builder
! scope="col" | Laid down
! scope="col" | Launched
! scope="col" | {{abbr|Comm.|Commissioned}}
! scope="col" | {{abbr|Decomm.|Decommissioned}}
! scope="col" style="min-width: 9em;" | Fate
|-
! scope="row" | {{USS|Rudderow|DE-224|2}}
| DE-224
| rowspan=3 | [[Philadelphia Navy Yard]]
| style="text-align: right;" | {{dts|15 July 1943|abbr=on}}
| style="text-align: right;" | {{dts|14 October 1943|abbr=on}}
| style="text-align: right;" | {{dts|14 May 1944|abbr=on}}
| style="text-align: right;" | {{dts|15 January 1947|abbr=on}}
| Struck 1 Nov 1969; sold for scrap, Oct 1970
|-
! scope="row" | {{USS|Day|DE-225|2}}
| DE-225
| style="text-align: right;" | {{dts|15 July 1943|abbr=on}}
| style="text-align: right;" | {{dts|14 October 1943|abbr=on}}
| style="text-align: right;" | {{dts|10 June 1944|abbr=on}}
| style="text-align: right;" | {{dts|16 May 1946|abbr=on}}
| Struck 30 Jun 1968; sunk as target, 1 Mar 1969
|-
! scope="row" | {{USS|Ruchamkin|DE-228|2}}
| DE-228
| style="text-align: right;" | {{dts|14 February 1944|abbr=on}}
| style="text-align: right;" | {{dts|15 June 1944|abbr=on}}
| style="text-align: right;" | {{dts|16 September 1945|abbr=on}}
| style="text-align: right;" | {{dts|24 November 1969|abbr=on}}
| Struck 31 Oct 1977; Colombian ''Córdoba'', museum ship 1980
|-
! scope="row" | {{USS|Chaffee|DE-230|2}}
| DE-230
| rowspan=2 | [[Charleston Navy Yard]]
| style="text-align: right;" | {{dts|26 August 1943|abbr=on}}
| style="text-align: right;" | {{dts|27 November 1943|abbr=on}}
| style="text-align: right;" | {{dts|9 May 1944|abbr=on}}
| style="text-align: right;" | {{dts|15 April 1946|abbr=on}}
| Struck 17 Aug 1946; sold for scrap, 1948
|-
! scope="row" | {{USS|Hodges|DE-231|2}}
| DE-231
| style="text-align: right;" | {{dts|9 September 1943|abbr=on}}
| style="text-align: right;" | {{dts|9 December 1943|abbr=on}}
| style="text-align: right;" | {{dts|27 May 1944|abbr=on}}
| style="text-align: right;" | {{dts|22 June 1946|abbr=on}}
| Struck 1 Dec 1972; sold for scrap, 12 Sep 1973
|-
! scope="row" | {{USS|Riley|DE-579|2}}
| DE-579
| rowspan=11 | [[Bethlehem-Hingham Shipyard]]
| style="text-align: right;" | {{dts|20 October 1943|abbr=on}}
| style="text-align: right;" | {{dts|29 December 1943|abbr=on}}
| style="text-align: right;" | {{dts|13 March 1944|abbr=on}}
| style="text-align: right;" | {{dts|15 January 1947|abbr=on}}
| Struck 25 Jan 1974; Taiwanese ''Tai Yuan'', 1968; scrapped 1992
|-
! scope="row" | {{USS|Leslie L.B. Knox|DE-580|2}}
| DE-580
| style="text-align: right;" | {{dts|7 November 1943|abbr=on}}
| style="text-align: right;" | {{dts|8 January 1944|abbr=on}}
| style="text-align: right;" | {{dts|22 March 1944|abbr=on}}
| style="text-align: right;" | {{dts|15 June 1946|abbr=on}}
| Struck 15 Jan 1972; sold for scrap, 13 Jun 1973
|-
! scope="row" | {{USS|McNulty|DE-581|2}}
| DE-581
| style="text-align: right;" | {{dts|17 November 1943|abbr=on}}
| style="text-align: right;" | {{dts|8 January 1944|abbr=on}}
| style="text-align: right;" | {{dts|31 March 1944|abbr=on}}
| style="text-align: right;" | {{dts|2 July 1946|abbr=on}}
| Struck 1 Mar 1972; sunk as target, 16 Nov 1972
|-
! scope="row" | {{USS|Metivier|DE-582|2}}
| DE-582
| style="text-align: right;" | {{dts|24 November 1943|abbr=on}}
| style="text-align: right;" | {{dts|12 January 1944|abbr=on}}
| style="text-align: right;" | {{dts|7 April 1944|abbr=on}}
| style="text-align: right;" | {{dts|1 June 1946|abbr=on}}
| Struck 30 Jun 1968; Sold for scrap, Jun 1969
|-
! scope="row" | {{USS|George A. Johnson|DE-583|2}}
| DE-583
| style="text-align: right;" | {{dts|24 November 1943|abbr=on}}
| style="text-align: right;" | {{dts|12 January 1944|abbr=on}}
| style="text-align: right;" | {{dts|15 April 1944|abbr=on}}
| style="text-align: right;" | {{dts|September 1957|abbr=on}}
| Struck 1 Nov 1965; sold for scrap, 19 Sep 1966
|-
! scope="row" | {{USS|Charles J. Kimmel|DE-584|2}}
| DE-584
| style="text-align: right;" | {{dts|1 December 1943|abbr=on}}
| style="text-align: right;" | {{dts|15 January 1944|abbr=on}}
| style="text-align: right;" | {{dts|20 April 1944|abbr=on}}
| style="text-align: right;" | {{dts|15 January 1947|abbr=on}}
| Struck 30 Jun 1968; sunk as target, 1 Nov 1969
|-
! scope="row" | {{USS|Daniel A. Joy|DE-585|2}}
| DE-585
| style="text-align: right;" | {{dts|1 December 1943|abbr=on}}
| style="text-align: right;" | {{dts|15 January 1944|abbr=on}}
| style="text-align: right;" | {{dts|28 April 1944|abbr=on}}
| style="text-align: right;" | {{dts|1 May 1965|abbr=on}}
| Struck 1 May 1965; sold for scrap, 1 Mar 1966
|-
! scope="row" | {{USS|Lough|DE-586|2}}
| DE-586
| style="text-align: right;" | {{dts|8 December 1943|abbr=on}}
| style="text-align: right;" | {{dts|22 January 1944|abbr=on}}
| style="text-align: right;" | {{dts|2 May 1944|abbr=on}}
| style="text-align: right;" | {{dts|24 June 1946|abbr=on}}
| Struck 1 Nov 1969; sold for scrap, Oct 1970
|-
! scope="row" | {{USS|Thomas F. Nickel|DE-587|2}}
| DE-587
| style="text-align: right;" | {{dts|15 December 1943|abbr=on}}
| style="text-align: right;" | {{dts|22 January 1944|abbr=on}}
| style="text-align: right;" | {{dts|9 June 1944|abbr=on}}
| style="text-align: right;" | {{dts|26 February 1958|abbr=on}}
| Struck 1 Dec 1972; sold for scrap, 9 Jun 1973
|-
! scope="row" | {{USS|Peiffer|DE-588|2}}
| DE-588
| style="text-align: right;" | {{dts|21 December 1943|abbr=on}}
| style="text-align: right;" | {{dts|26 January 1944|abbr=on}}
| style="text-align: right;" | {{dts|15 June 1944|abbr=on}}
| style="text-align: right;" | {{dts|1 June 1946|abbr=on}}
| Struck 1 Dec 1966; sunk as target, 16 May 1967
|-
! scope="row" | {{USS|Tinsman|DE-589|2}}
| DE-589
| style="text-align: right;" | {{dts|21 December 1943|abbr=on}}
| style="text-align: right;" | {{dts|26 January 1944|abbr=on}}
| style="text-align: right;" | {{dts|26 June 1944|abbr=on}}
| style="text-align: right;" | {{dts|11 May 1946|abbr=on}}
| Struck 1 Nov 1969; sold for scrap, 14 Sep 1973
|-
! scope="row" | {{USS|DeLong|DE-684|2}}
| DE-684
| rowspan=3 | [[Bethlehem Steel Corporation]], [[Fore River Shipyard]]
| style="text-align: right;" | {{dts|19 October 1943|abbr=on}}
| style="text-align: right;" | {{dts|23 November 1943|abbr=on}}
| style="text-align: right;" | {{dts|31 December 1943|abbr=on}}
| style="text-align: right;" | {{dts|8 August 1969|abbr=on}}
| Struck 8 Aug 1969; sunk as target, 19 Feb 1970
|-
! scope="row" | {{USS|Coates|DE-685|2}}
| DE-685
| style="text-align: right;" | {{dts|8 November 1943|abbr=on}}
| style="text-align: right;" | {{dts|9 December 1943|abbr=on}}
| style="text-align: right;" | {{dts|24 January 1944|abbr=on}}
| style="text-align: right;" | {{dts|30 January 1970|abbr=on}}
| Struck 30 Jan 1970; sunk as target, 19 Sep 1971
|-
! scope="row" | {{USS|Eugene E. Elmore|DE-686|2}}
| DE-686
| style="text-align: right;" | {{dts|27 November 1943|abbr=on}}
| style="text-align: right;" | {{dts|23 December 1943|abbr=on}}
| style="text-align: right;" | {{dts|4 February 1944|abbr=on}}
| style="text-align: right;" | {{dts|31 May 1946|abbr=on}}
| Struck 30 Jun 1968, sold for scrap Jun 1969
|-
! scope="row" | {{USS|Holt|DE-706|2}}
| DE-706
| rowspan=4 | [[Defoe Shipbuilding Company]], [[Bay City, Michigan]]
| style="text-align: right;" | {{dts|28 November 1943|abbr=on}}
| style="text-align: right;" | {{dts|15 February 1944|abbr=on}}
| style="text-align: right;" | {{dts|9 June 1944|abbr=on}}
| style="text-align: right;" | {{dts|2 July 1946|abbr=on}}
| Struck 15 Nov 1974; Korean ''Chung Nam'', Jun 1963; scrapped 1984
|-
! scope="row" | {{USS|Jobb|DE-707|2}}
| DE-707
| style="text-align: right;" | {{dts|20 December 1943|abbr=on}}
| style="text-align: right;" | {{dts|4 March 1944|abbr=on}}
| style="text-align: right;" | {{dts|4 July 1944|abbr=on}}
| style="text-align: right;" | {{dts|13 May 1946|abbr=on}}
| Struck 1 Nov 1969, sold for scrap Oct 1970
|-
! scope="row" | {{USS|Parle|DE-708|2}}
| style="white-space: nowrap;" | DE-708
| style="text-align: right;" | {{dts|8 January 1944|abbr=on}}
| style="text-align: right;" | {{dts|25 March 1944|abbr=on}}
| style="text-align: right;" | {{dts|29 July 1944|abbr=on}}
| style="text-align: right;" | {{dts|1 July 1970|abbr=on}}
| Struck 1 Jul 1970; sunk as target of Florida, 27 Oct 1970
|-
! scope="row" | {{USS|Bray|DE-709|2}}
| style="white-space: nowrap;" | DE-709<br/>APD-139
| style="text-align: right;" | Jan 1944
| style="text-align: right;" | {{dts|15 April 1944|abbr=on}}
| style="text-align: right;" | {{dts|4 September 1944|abbr=on}}
| style="text-align: right;" | {{dts|10 May 1946|abbr=on}}
| reclassified APD-139 and converted, 16 July 1945
|}

==See also==
* [[List of destroyer escorts of the United States Navy]]
* [[List of frigates of the United States Navy]] subset of above with hull numbers DE/FF 1037 and higher plus all DEG/FFGs because of the [[United States Navy 1975 ship reclassification]]
* [[List of frigates]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category-inline|Rudderow class destroyer escorts}}
* [http://destroyerhistory.org/de/rudderowclass/ Destroyer History.org - Rudderow-class destroyer escort]
* {{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20010330193438/http://www.desausa.org/ Article title]}} Destroyer Escort Sailors Association (DESA).

{{Rudderow class destroyer escort}}
{{WWII US ships}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Rudderow Class Destroyer Escort}}
[[Category:Rudderow-class destroyer escorts| ]]