Sims-class conversion

[Rick E Davis]

I came across some onboard photos of two SIMS class units, USS MORRIS and USS BUCK, at Boston Navy Yard in August-September 1941 as they were completing their King Board Mods on my last trip to NARA. These photos answered a lot of questions and unknowns I had about the configuration for at least seven of the units in this class. First off the basic configuration seen in the Charleston Navy Yard photos was already established BEFORE the 20-mm guns were installed at Charleston Navy Yard as seen in the classic photos of the four units modified there. I'm still puzzled why they put two of the 50-cal MGs on the main deck amidships rather than on the aft deckhouse similar to what was done on the early BENSON-GLEAVES class units. Could have been because of top=weight concerns.

The photos are posted here ... viewtopic.php?f=49&t=16269&start=160#p706577 ...

These photos are relevant to DD-411 ANDERSON, DD-412 HAMMANN, DD-413 MUSTIN, DD-417 MORRIS, DD-418 ROE (likely), DD-419 WAINWRIGHT (likely), and DD-420 BUCK in the period prior to 20-mm guns being installed. These photos also are helpful for detailing parts of the ship even after the 20-mm guns replaced the 50-cal MGs, particularly in answering what was on the aft deckhouse. There are individual differences between units for things like shape of vents, etc depending on where they were built.

The remaining five SIMS class destroyers, DD-409 SIMS, DD-410 HUGHES, DD-414 RUSSELL, DD-415 O'BRIEN, and DD-416 WALKE, had a different configuration on the aft deckhouse. Here is a cropped view of the aft deckhouse on the five "SIMS group" showing the pre-20-mm configuration.