Clemson - class destroyer The " Clemson " class was a series of 156 destroyers which served with the United States Navy from after World War I through World War II . The " Clemson " - class ships were commissioned by the United States Navy from 1919 to 1922 , built by Newport News Shipbuilding & Dry Dock Company , New York Shipbuilding Corporation , William Cramp and Sons , Bethlehem Steel Corporation , Mare Island Naval Shipyard , Norfolk Naval Shipyard and Bath Iron Works , some quite rapidly . The " Clemson " class was a minor redesign of the " Wickes " class , and was the last pre - World War II class of flush - decker destroyers to be built for the United States . Until the , the " Clemson " s were the most numerous class of destroyers commissioned in the United States Navy , and were known colloquially as " flush - deckers " , " four - stackers " , or " four - pipers . " Design evolution . As finally built , the " Clemson " class would be a fairly straightforward expansion of the " Wickes " - class destroyers . While the " Wickes " class had given good service there was a desire to build a class more tailored towards the anti - submarine role , and as such several design studies were completed , mainly about increasing the ships ' range . These designs included a reduction in speed to between 26 and 28 knots by eliminating two boilers , freeing up displacement for depth charges and more fuel . This proposal foreshadowed the destroyer escort s of World War II . Upgrading the gun armament from 4 " to 5 " guns was also considered . In addition , the tapered stern of the " Wickes " - class destroyers resulted in a large turning radius and a correction to this defect was also sought , although this was not corrected in the final design . In the end the General Board decided the 35 knot speed be retained so as to allow the " Clemson " class to be used as a fleet escort . The pressing need for destroyers overruled any change that would slow production compared to the proceeding " Wickes " class . Wing tanks for fuel oil were installed on either side of the ships to increase the operational range . This design choice meant the fuel oil would be stored above the waterline and create additional vulnerability , but the Navy felt a 4900 nm range was worth the risk . Additional improvements included provisions for 5 " guns to be installed at a later date , an enlarged rudder to help reduce the turn radius , and an additional pair of 3 " anti - aircraft guns on the deck - house . Armament . The main armament was the same as the " Wickes " class : 4 × 4 " / 50 caliber gun s ( 102 mm ) and 12 × 21 " torpedo tubes ( 533 mm ) . The Mark 8 torpedo was initially equipped , and probably remained the standard torpedo for this class , as 600 Mark 8 torpedoes were issued to the British in 1940 as part of the Destroyers for Bases Agreement . Although the design provided for two anti - aircraft ( AA ) guns , most ships carried a single 3 inch 23 caliber ( 76 mm ) AA gun , typically on the aft deckhouse . A frequent modification was reversing the aft 4 " gun with the 3 " gun to make more room for the depth charge tracks . Anti - submarine ( ASW ) armament was added during or after construction . Typically , two depth charge tracks were provided aft , along with a Y - gun depth charge projector forward of the aft deckhouse . Despite the provision for 5 " guns , only seven ships were built with an increased gun armament . USS Hovey ( DD - 208 ) and USS Long ( DD - 209 ) had twin 4 " / 50 mounts for a total of eight guns , while DD 231 - 235 had four 5 " / 51 caliber gun s ( 127 mm ) in place of the 4 " guns . In operation . As with the preceding class , the fleet found that the tapered stern , which made for a nice depth charge deployment feature , dug into the water and increased the turning radius . While the increased rudder size helped , the answer would be in a redesigned stern . They were reported to be prone to heavy rolling in light loaded conditions . The flush deck gave the hull great strength but this also made the deck very wet . History . Fourteen ships of the class were involved in the Honda Point Disaster ( aka Point Pedernales ) in 1923 , of which seven were lost . Many never saw wartime service , as a significant number were decommissioned in 1930 and scrapped as part of the London Naval Treaty . About 40 " Clemson " class DDs with Yarrow boilers were scrapped or otherwise disposed of in 1930 - 31 , as these boilers wore out quickly in service . Flush - deckers in reserve were commissioned as replacements . In 1936 only some 169 of the flush deck destroyers would be left , four of them " Caldwell " class and the rest of them " Wickes " and " Clemson " class . Nineteen were transferred to the Royal Navy in 1940 as part of the Destroyers for Bases Agreement where they became part of the Town class . Others were upgraded or converted to high speed transports or seaplane tenders and served through World War II . Most ships remaining in service during World War II were rearmed with dual - purpose 3 " / 50 caliber gun s to provide better anti - aircraft protection . The AVD seaplane tender conversions received 2 guns ; the APD high - speed transport , DM minelayer , and DMS minesweeper conversions received 3 guns , and those retaining destroyer classification received 6 . Their original low - angle 4 " / 50 caliber gun s ( Mark 9 ) were transferred to Defensively Equipped Merchant Ships for anti - submarine protection . For the ships converted to minesweepers , the twelve 21 " ( 533 mm ) torpedo tubes were replaced by minesweeping gear . The wrecks of two " Clemson " class destroyers remain in the San Francisco Bay area , USS Corry ( DD - 334 ) a few miles north of Mare Island Navy Yard on the Napa River , and USS Thompson ( DD - 305 ) in the southern part of the Bay , used as a bombing target in World War II . See also . List of " Clemson " - class destroyers