World War I
American Destroyers
Cassin and O'Brien
classes
A Study in Blueprints
Ships of Cassin class: USS Cassin (TBD-43)(DD-43), USS Cummings (TBD-44)(DD-44), USS Downes (TBD-45)(DD-45) and USS Duncan (TBD-46)(DD-46).
Ships of O'Brien class: USS O'Brien (TBD-51)(DD-51), USS Nicholson (TBD-52)(DD-52), USS Winslow (TBD-53)(DD-53), USS McDougal (TBD-54)(DD-54), USS Cushing (TBD-55)(DD-55) and USS Ericsson (TBD-56)(DD-56).
Adam, corvette,
Adams,
Aida, schooner,
USS Akron (ZRS-4), airship,
CSS Alabama,
Alert, British ship,
Allen, William Henry, Master Commandant,
USS Allen (TBD-66)(DD-66),
Alliance, British ship,
Amphitrite,
Ann, British ship,
Aquitania, British transport,
Argus, sloop of-war,
Arkansas Post, capture of,
Bainbridge, William, Captain,
Baltic, British ship,
Barbados, British ship,
Barbary Wars, (1801-07),
Barron, James, Commodore,
Bedfod, British ship,
Betsey, British ship,
Boston, frigate,
Brest, France,
Camellia, British sloop-of-war,
Cassin (TBD-43),
Catalina, British liner,
CG-2,
CG-7,
CG-21,
CG-22,
CG-23,
CG-24,
CG-25,
Charming Peggy, merchant brig,
Chauncey, Commodore,
Lake Ontario,
HMS Cherub,
Chesapeake, frigate,
SS Chicago City, merchantman,
Colorado, steam frigate,
Commonwealth of theVirginmia State, Legislature-1813,
Concord, tug,
Congress, frigate,
Congress, screw sloop,
Constellation, frigate,
Constitution, frigate,
Conyngham, Gustavus, Captain,
USS Conyngham (TBD-58)(DD-58)(CG-2), .
Cordelia, British ship,
Covington, transport,
Crawford, American minister to France,
Cyane,
Dafila, British steamship,
Davis, Charles Henry, Admiral,
USS Davis (TBD-65)(DD-65)(CG-21),
DD-57,
DD-57,
DD-58,
DD-59,
DD-60,
DD-62,
DD-63,
DD-64,
DD-65,
DD-66,
DD-67,
DD-68,
Decatur, Steveson, Commodore,
Defiance, British ship,
Delaware,
Diana and Betsey, British ship,
Dolphin, British brig,
Dupetit-Thuoars, French cruiser,
SS Elele,
SS English Monarch,
Enterprise, schooner,
Ericsson (TBD-56),
Essex, frigate,
Experiment,
Fairfield,
Flying Fish,
Fort Fisher, North Carolina,
Fort Jackson,
Fort Pickens, Florida,
Fort St. Philip,
Fowey, British ship, .
HMS Fox,
Franklin, ship-of-the-line,
Franklin, schooner,
HMS Frolic,
George Washington, frigate,
George Washington, transport,
Gomez, ex-president of Cuba,
Grand Gulf, batteries,
Grant, USS, General,
Guerriere, frigate,
Hancock, schooner,
Hancock, frigate,
Harriet Lane,
Hartland, British ship,
Hatteras Inlet, capture of,.
Helen, British ship,
Henry and Esther, British ship,
HMS Hind,.
Independence, ship-of-the-line,.
HMS Insolent,
USS Iowa (BB-4),
USS Jacob Jones (TBD-61),
Jane, brig,
USS Jarvis (TBD-38),
John and Thomas, British ship,
John Adams, frigate,
John Adams, sloop,
Jones, Jacob, Commodore,
Karina, British ship,
King George, Massachusetts Bay Colony warship,
L'Insurgente, French frigate,
Lady Francis, British ship,
Lee, schooner, .
Leopard, British ship,
Liverpool, England,
Macedonian, American frigate,
Macedonian, British frigate,
Maine, Second class Armored Battleship,
Maria, armed brig,
Mariner, British ship,
Mason, James, Confederate commissioner to England and France,
Matilda, British ship,
Mayflower, practice ship,
USS McDougal (TBD-54),
Memphis, Tennessee, surrender of,
Mill Prison, England
Montezuma,
NC-4,
New Ironsides, ironclad,
Nicholson, John B., Lieutenant,
Ocain, merchant ship,
Olympic, British ship,
Orama, British cruiser,
Our Bairn, smack,
Patapsco, monitor,
Pawnee, steam sloop-of-war,
HMS Paxton,
Peacock,
Pelican, British brig,
Philadelphia, frigate,
HMS Phoebe,
SS Poluxena, merchantman,
Porpoise,
Porter, David Dixon, Admiral,
USS Porter, (TBD-59)(DD-59)(CG-7),
Portsmouth, England,
Powhattan, sidewheel steamer,
Prometheus, brig,
SS Purley, British merchantman,.
quasi-war with France, .
Queenstown, Ireland,
HMS Rainbow,
Relief,.
Revenge,
Richard, British ship, .
Roanoke, steam frigate,
Roanoke Island, capture of,.
Roosevelt, Franklin D., Assistant Secretary of the Navy,
Rose, Hans, Kaptain,
Rowan, Steven C., Vice Admiral,.
USS Rowan (TBD-64)(DD-64),
Saint Nazaire, France,
Sampson, Admiral,
USS Sampson (TBD-63)(DD-63),
San Jacinto, steam frigate,
Santiago, Cuba,
Sea Gull,
Semmes, Raphael, Captain,
Shaw, John, Captain,
USS Shaw (TBD-68)(DD-68)(CG-22),
Slidell, John, Confederate commissioner to England and France,.
HMS Somerset,.
Spitfire,
CSS Sumter,
Surprise,
Susannah, British ship,
Swatara,
Taussig, J.K., Commander,
TBD-33,
TBD-38,
TBD-43,
TBD-53,
TBD-56,
TBD-57,
TBD-58,.
TBD-59 ,
TBD-60,
TBD-61,
TBD-62,
TBD-63,
TBD-64,
TBD-65,
TBD-66,
TBD-67,
TBD-68,
Theodora, coastal packet,
HMS Thorn,
Trent, British mail packet,
Tripoli harbor,.
Trippe (TBD-33),
Tucker, Samuel,
USS Tucker (TBD-57)(DD-57)(CG-23),.
U-53,
U-103,.
U-108,
United States, frigate,.
Valetta, British steamship,
Van Buren, President of the United States,
Vera Cruz, Mexico,
HMS Victor,
Vincennes, sloop-of-war,
Wadsworth, Alexander Scammel, Commodore, .
USS Wadsworth (TBD-60)(DD-60),
Wainwright, Jonathan Mayhew, Commander,
USS Wainwright (TBD-62)(DD-62)(CG-24),.
War of 1812,
Washington, George, General,
Wasp, sloop-of-war,
Waterwitch, Franklin's water tender,
Wilkes, Charles, Rear Admiral, .
USS Wilkes (TBD-67)(DD-67)(CG-25),.
William, brig,
Winslow (TBD-53),
| Title | Vessel | Date of Document | Page |
| Water Service, Profile and Sections. | Cassin (TBD-43) |
August 11, 1913 | 14-16 |
| Midship Section. | do. | August 21, 1913 | 17 |
| Type Sections, Frames 20, 32, 50, 57, 60, 110 and 144. |
Cassin & Cummings (TBD-43 & 44) |
June 25, 1913 | 18-20 |
| Shell Expansion. | Cassin (TBD-43) |
August 2, 1913 | 21-23 |
| Plan View; Arrangement of Officers Quarters on Main Deck Forward. | Cassin & Cummings (TBD-43 & 44) |
October 1, 1913 | 24-25 |
| Sections; Arrangement of Officers Quarters on Main Deck Forward. | do. | do. | 26-27 |
| 30" and 40" Ventilators to Engine Room. | do. | July 9, 1912 | 28-29 |
| General Arrangement of Forward Ventilation. | do. | July 25, 1913 | 30-32 |
| Sketch Plan Showing Interference with 4" Gun Recoil at Frames 53 & 146 & Proposed Remedies. | do. | April 5, 1912 | 33 |
| Compartment Access and Pillars. | Duncan (TBD-46) |
December 29, 1912 | 34-35 |
| Booklet of General Plans; Outboard Profile, Inboard Profile, Decks, Midship Section, Eleven Cross Sections. | McDougal (TBD-54) |
February 27, 1925 | 36-41 |
| Faired Lines as Taken from Mold Loft. | do. | March 15, 1912 | 42-45 |
| Outboard Profile. | do. | April 23, 1921 | 46-47 |
| do. | do. | May 27, 1913 | 48-49 |
| Inboard Profile. | do. | April 23, 1921 | 50-51 |
| Arrangement of Weather Decks. | do. | May 27, 1913 | 52-53 |
| Midship Section, Frame 99. | do. | June 3, 1914 | 54 |
| Cross Sections; Frames 2, 6, 13, 18, 28,
41, 52, 92, 110, 132, 145, 152, 160 & 166. |
do. | - | 55-57 |
| Type Sections; Frames 20, 32, 50, 57, 60, 110 & 144. |
do. | February 7, 1913 | 58-60 |
| Struts. | do. | March 25, 1912 | 61-62 |
| Arrangement of Awning & Life Line Stanchions. | do. | July 2, 1913 | 63-64 |
| Main Deck Plating. | do. | August 11, 1914 | 65-67 |
| Boat Chocks and Gripes, Details. | do. | September 10, 1913 | 68-69 |
| Outboard Stowage of 24 foot Whale Boat. | do. | March 14, 1913 | 70-71 |
| Torpedo Handling and Boat Stowage. | do. | September 8, 1913 | 72 |
| Torpedo and Boat Stowage Sketch. | do. | July 16, 1914 | 73 |
| Distinguishing Marks and Numerals. | do. | August 11, 1914 | 74 |
| General Arrangement of After Ventilation. | do. | June 25, 1913 | 75-77 |
| 40" Diameter Fire Room Ventilators. | do. | December 9, 1913 | 78 |
| Title | Vessel | Date of Document | Scale | Page |
| Inboard Profile. | Balch (TBD-50) |
- | 1/16" | 79-80 |
| Inboard Profile and Outboard Profile. | do. | - | do. | 81-82 |
| Berth Deck and Hold. | do. | - | do. | 83-84 |
| Main and Forecastle Decks. | do. | - | do. | 85-86 |
| Main and Forecastle Decks. | Aylwin (TBD-47) |
May 8, 1917 | do. | 87-88 |
Cassin class Torpedo Boat Destroyers
(TBD-43 through 50)
Fiscal Year Acquisition - 1911
(1,000 - tonners)
Length Overal:... 305'-3"
Extreme Beam:...31'-2" (TBD-43 &
44)(TBD-47-50), 31'-1" (TBD-45 & 46)
Normal Displacement: ...1,020 tons (TBD-43 &
44), 1,072 tons (TBD-45), 1,014 tons (TBD-46), 1,036 tons
(TBD-47-50)
Mean Draft:...9'-3" (TBD-43-46), 9'-5"
(TBD-47-50)
Designed Complement:...Officers, 4; Enlisted, 93
(TBD-43-46 & 48), Officers, 4; Enlisted, 95 (TBD-47, 49 &
50)
Armament:
Primary:...Three, 4-inch/50 caliber (TBD-43
& 44), Four, 4-inch/50 caliber (TBD-45-50)
Secondary:...None
Torpedo Tubes:...Eight, 18"
Designed Shaft Horsepower:...16,000 shp
Drive:...Direct
Designed Speed:...29 knots
Engines, Manufacturer:...Bath (TBD-43 & 44),
FR (TBD-45 & 46), Cramp (TBD-47-50)
Type:...Parsons (TBD-43 & 44), Curtis
(TBD-45 & 46), Cramp (TBD-47-50)
Boilers: Manufacturer:...Cramp (TBD-43 &
44), BW (TBD-45)(TBD-47-50), FR (TBD-46)
Type:...Normand (TBD-43 & 44), Thornycroft
(TBD-45), Yarrow (TBD-46), WF (TBD-47-50)
Screws:...Two
Fuel, Tons:...312 (TBD-43 & 44), 307.6
(TBD-45), 290 (TBD-46), 287 (TBD-47), 317 (TBD-48), 295 (TBD-49)
O'Brien class Torpedo Boat Destroyers
(TBD-51 through 56)
Fiscal Year Acquisition - 1912
(1,000 - tonners)
Length Overall:...305'-3"
Extreme Beam:...31'-1"
Normal Displacement:...1,050 tons
Mean Draft:...9'-6"
Designed Complement:...Officers, 8; Enlisted, 93
Armament:
Primary:...Four, 4-inch/50 caliber
Secondary:...None
Torpedo Tubes:...Eight, 21"
Designed Shaft Horsepower:...17,000 shp
Drive:...Direct (two low pressure
cylinders)(TBD-55), Geared Turbine (TBD-56)
Designed Speed:...29 knots
Engines, Manufacturer:...Cramp (TBD-51-53),
Curtis (TBD-55), Parsons (TBD-56), [Cruising turbines on both
shafts]
Boilers, Manufacturer:...BW (TBD-51-53, 56), FR
(TBD-55)
Type:...WB/WF (TBD-51-53), FR (TBD-55),
Thornycroft (TBD-56)
Screws:...Two
Fuel, Tons:...300 (TBD-51), 309 (TBD-52, 53, 55
& 56)
Captain Steven Cassin was born on February 16, 1783 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He entered the Navy as a Midshipman in 1800 and served in Philadelphia in the West Indies, during the latter part of the Quasi-War with France. In the War of 1812, he commanded Ticonderoga in the Battle of Lake Champlain and was awarded a gold medal for bravery by Congress. Cassin died on August 29, 1857 in Washington, D.C.
USS Cassin (TBD-43)(DD-43, July 17, 1920)(CG-1, August 30, 1924-June 5, 1933), was built by Bath Iron Works, Bath, Maine and commissioned on August 9, 1913.
From her arrival at Key West December 5, 1913 Until June 16, 1914, Cassin sailed with the 6th Division in the Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico in fleet maneuvers and exercises. On May 19, 1914, she sailed to the rescue of SS Atlantis, wrecked off Tampico Bar. Taking the stricken ship's passengers on board, she landed them at Tampico, Mexico. After overhaul, Cassin operated along the east coast from October 21 until January 27, 1915 when she returned to the Caribbean winter maneuvers.
Operations along the east coast on neutrality patrol and drills and surveillance patrol in the Caribbean were Cassin's employment until April 1917, when she was prepared for overseas deployment. She arrived at Queenstown, Ireland, May 17 and began operations which called for her to rendezvous with American troop convoys at sea and escort them to ports in England and France. On October 15, she sighted the German submarine U-61 about 20 miles south of Mind Head, Ireland and pursued her. At 1330, Cassin was struck in her port side aft, by a torpedo. One man was killed, nine wounded and Cassin, her rudder blown off and stern extensively damaged, began to circle. This did not prevent her, however, from firing four rounds at the submarine when she spotted its conning tower at 1430. The submarine, thus discouraged from further attack, submerged and was not contacted again. Through the night, Cassin was guarded by an American and two British destroyers and in the morning, HMS Snowdrop took Cassin in tow for Queenstown. After repairs there and at Newport, England, Cassin returned to escort duty on July 2, 1918.
Cassin's war Service received a well deserved honor on December 12-13, 1918, when she was chosen as one of the escorts for the George Washington, carrying President Woodrow Wilson into Brest, France, for his attendance at the Versailles Peace Conference. Cassin returned to Boston, Massachusetts on January 3, 1919. After winter maneuvers in the Caribbean, Cassin cleared New York City May 1, 1919 for the Azores, where she took station guarding the route of the Navy's historic transatlantic NC-4 flight. She returned to Boston for repairs, then sailed on to Philadelphia, where she was placed in reserve on June 18, 1919 for more extensive repairs. Reactivated at Charleston February 14, 1921, Cassin joined Destroyer Flotilla 5 for operations along the New England coast until October 11, 1921, when she returned to Charleston. Returning to Philadelphia March 29, 1922, she was decommissioned there June 7, 1922.
Transferred to the Treasury Department as (CG-1) on April 28, 1924 for service in the Coast Guard, Cassin was returned to naval custody June 30, 1933 and sold August 22, 1934.