US NAVAL SHIPS/CRAFT IN 1945 AND IN 1946

In 1945 the US NAVY consisted of ; 23 battleships, 28 fleet carriers, 71 escort carriers, 72 cruisers,

377 destroyers, 361 frigates, 232 submarines, 586 mine warfare, 1204 patrol boats, 2547 amphibious,

1267 auxiliary, for a total of 6788 active. That number dropped to a total of 1248 active in 1946.

If you look at production at shipyards after the war ; Bath Iron Works, Newport News, Quincy

Bethlehem Steel / Fore River, Electric Boat, and other shipyards there wasnt a lot going on. The

essex class carriers and later carriers built during the war lasted well into the 1970s and beyond.

At the Boston Navy Yard we worked on the Lexington CVT 16 , Intrepid CVS 11, and the WASP CVS 18

from 1967 - 1973 at different times. A total of 110 of the destroyers built during the war and just after

the war were modernized from 1959-1965 with a FRAM upgrade - ASROC, upgraded electronics, VDS

sonar on the stern, machinery plant, structural mods, etc. This added at least 10 - 15 more service

years and with the ASROC , etc. they could contend with the soviet submarines. The different navy

yards including Boston being lead yard did all the FRAM upgrades.

gusord

 

One important aspect of the FRAM program was the two levels of modernization, FRAM I and II (I've seen reference to a FRAM III but it does not seem to have been implemented). This was intended to cope with the problem of block obsolescence. Some 400! destroyers had been commissioned 1942-46 and would in the normal course of events all come due for retirement or replacement together. FRAM had the effect of spreading this out. The Bensons and prewar DDs were soon discarded (except DMSs which remained for a time). The latest and largest ships, the Gearings, got the most extensive modernization (FRAM I) which extended their service life the longest. Most of the Sumner class and some Gearings got a less extensive FRAM II upgrade and were eventually phased out before the FRAM Is. Only three Fletchers were FRAMed, although many were retained as mobilization reserves, hopefully able to be upgraded quickly if needed.

 

A great number of ships commissioned prior to the war were sent to the wreckers simply because they were worn out and tired. There wasn't even a need to mothball them with so many modern types being commissioned in the war (and some still being launched just after hostilities ended).