Destroyer squadron A destroyer squadron is a naval squadron or flotilla usually consisting of destroyer s rather than other types of vessel . In some navies other vessels , such as frigate s , may be included . In English the word " squadron " tends to be used for larger and " flotilla " for smaller vessels ; both may be used for destroyer units . Similar formations are used in non - English - speaking countries , e . g . , the " escadrille " — which would translate directly as " squadron " — in France . Royal Navy . The Royal Navy began to form units of destroyers after the introduction of ' torpedo boat destroyers ' in the early 1900s . RN destroyer units , amongst others , are listed in the list of squadrons and flotillas of the Royal Navy , sections on squadrons and flotillas of destroyers , frigates , and escorts . US Navy . The U . S . Navy acronym for a destroyer squadron is DESRON ; it comprises three or more destroyer s or frigate s . It is not generally an operational unit , but is responsible for training , equipping and administering of its ships . A mixed unit including destroyers is the cruiser - destroyer group . The officer in command of DESRON SIX , for example , is designated Commander Destroyer Squadron Six , COMDESRON SIX for short . As during World War II , a full - strength DesRon ( as it was abbreviated at the time ) comprised two Destroyer Divisions or DesDivs of four ships each , plus a squadron flagship ; these were operational as well as administrative units . From April 1 , 1962 , Cruiser - Destroyer forces in the Atlantic and Pacific Fleets were organized in Cruiser - Destroyer Flotillas ( CRUDESFLOTs ) . These formations included Cruiser - Destroyer Flotilla One in the Pacific ( included " Parks " ) , Cruiser - Destroyer Flotilla Three at Long Beach in the Pacific ( commanded for a time by Rear Admiral Draper Kauffman ) , Cruiser - Destroyer Flotilla Two in the Atlantic ( included " Yosemite " ) , Cruiser - Destroyer Flotilla Four in the Atlantic , which supplied ships for the Task Force Alfa antisubmarine experiment and had USS Shenandoah ( AD - 26 ) as flagship for a time . Cornelius S . Snodgrass served as chief of staff for CRUDESFLOT 4 before his retirement in 1974 . Cruiser - Destroyer Flotilla Six in the Atlantic ( flagship at one point and included " Yellowstone " ) . Cruiser - Destroyer Flotilla Six included Destroyer Squadron Four with USS Johnson in 1971 , seemingly home - ported at the Charleston Naval Base . Cruiser - Destroyer Flotilla Seven was homeported at San Diego , commanded by Admiral Waldemar F . A . Wendt from April 1962 , with concurrent duty as Commander , Cruiser - Destroyer Force , Pacific , October – November 1961 . CRUDESFLOT SEVEN was also commanded at one point by then Rear Admiral Elmo Zumwalt . In December 1969 , Admiral Robert S . Salzer assumed command of Cruiser Destroyer Flotilla 3 . Salzar assumed command of Cruiser Destroyer Flotilla 7 in September 1970 , and after the disestablishment of that formation on 16 March 1971 returned to command of Cruiser Destroyer Flotilla 3 . Other flotillas included Cruiser - Destroyer Flotilla Eight in the Atlantic , which at one point included Destroyer Squadron Twenty - Two , Cruiser - Destroyer Flotilla Nine in the Pacific , Cruiser - Destroyer Flotilla Eleven in the Pacific ( with DesDiv 152 , DesRon 15 ? ) , and Cruiser - Destroyer Flotillas Ten and Twelve in the Atlantic . On 30 June 1973 Cruiser - Destroyer Flotillas were redesignated Cruiser - Destroyer Groups ( CRUDESGRUs ) . The overall responsibility for surface warships on the west coast of the USA is taken by the Commander , Naval Surface Forces Pacific ( COMNAVSURFPAC ) ; on the east coast , the same responsibility rests with the Commander , Naval Surface Forces Atlantic ( COMSURFLANT ) . Previously under this system , when deployed , a Cruiser - Destroyer Group Commander would normally have been assigned to command a Carrier Battle Group ( CVBG ) . Cruiser - Destroyer Groups were superseded by Carrier strike group s from 1 October 2004 . When a destroyer squadron deploys , for instance as part of a Carrier Strike Group , overall command is transferred to the Naval Component Commander of the local Regional Command ( e . g . COMNAVCENT or Commander US Naval Forces , Central Command ) .