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The ''Gleaves''-class destroyers were a class of 66 destroyers of the United States Navy built 1938–1942, designed by Gibbs & Cox. The first ship of the class was the USS ''Gleaves'' (DD-423). They were the production destroyer of the US Navy when it entered World War II. The ''Gleaves'' class were initially specified as part of a 24-ship ''Benson'' class authorized in fiscal years 1938-40; however, Bethlehem Shipbuilding requested that the six ships designed by them use less complex machinery. Initially, and , although designed by Gibbs & Cox and built by Bath Iron Works, were to follow the ''Benson'' design. This temporarily made the lead ship with more complex machinery, so the class was initially called the ''Livermore'' class, and this name persisted through World War II. However, it soon proved possible for ''Gleaves'' and ''Niblack'' to be built to the ''Livermore'' design.〔 Since ''Gleaves'' was completed before ''Livermore'' and had a lower hull number, the class is more correctly the ''Gleaves'' class. Eighteen of these were commissioned in 1940-41.〔Bauer and Roberts, pp. 188-191〕 The remaining 48 “repeat ''Gleaves''es” were authorized in 1940–42. These plus the 16 "repeat ''Benson''s" were also known at the time as the ''Bristol'' class, after . During World War II the ''Benson''s were usually combined with the ''Livermore''s (more correctly the ''Gleaves'' class) as the ''Benson-Livermore'' class; this persisted in references until at least the 1960s.〔Silverstone, pp. 126-135〕 The classes are now called the ''Benson-Gleaves'' class.〔(''Benson-Gleaves'' classes at DestroyerHistory.org )〕 In some references both classes are combined and called the ''Benson'' class.〔 The ''Benson''- and ''Gleaves''-class destroyers were the backbone of the pre-war Neutrality Patrols and brought the action to the enemy by participating in every major naval campaign of the war. ==Related classes== The ''Benson''s were originally envisioned as a single class of 24 ships, the first eight of which were ordered in fiscal year 1938 (FY38). Six of these were designed by Bethlehem Shipbuilding, to be built at a Bethlehem yard and several naval shipyards, and two were designed by Gibbs & Cox, to be built at Bath Iron Works. All were to have steam (references vary) superheated to , with cruising turbines and double-reduction gearing to maximize fuel efficiency.〔 After contract award, Bethlehem requested that their design be modified to use less-complex single-reduction gears and no cruising turbines. Bethlehem claimed they could achieve comparable fuel efficiency with the simpler machinery. This request was granted, but FY39 and FY40 ships, beginning with , would use the more complex machinery.〔Bauer and Roberts, pp. 188-191〕 So the class was known through World War II as the ''Benson-Livermore'' class, and this name persisted in many references until at least the 1960s.〔Silverstone, pp. 126-135〕 In the spring of 1938 the Navy's Bureau of Steam Engineering requested that the FY39 and FY40 ships be modified for superheat.〔 It proved possible for Bath to build their two FY38 ships, ''Gleaves'' and ''Niblack'', to the new design. ''Gleaves'' was completed prior to ''Livermore'' and had a lower hull number, thus the class name is more correctly the ''Benson-Gleaves'' class.〔〔(Archived notes on ''Gleaves'' class at Destroyers.org )〕 The only external difference between the ''Benson'' and ''Gleaves'' classes was the shape of the stacks; the ''Benson''s' were flat-sided and the ''Gleaves''es' were round. After the Fall of France in 1940 a rapid expansion of the Navy was envisioned. To fill the gap until the ''Fletcher''-class destroyers would be ready for service, an additional 72 "repeat" ''Benson''- and ''Gleaves''-class ships were ordered in FY41 and FY42. 24 repeat ''Benson''s were built by several Bethlehem yards, while an additional 48 repeat ''Gleaves''es were built by various other builders.〔 These were initially called the ''Bristol'' class after , a repeat ''Gleaves'' and the first of these to be completed, although the machinery of the repeat ''Benson''s was different from the repeat ''Gleaves''es. The repeat ships were ordered with reduced torpedo and gun armament and increased anti-submarine and light anti-aircraft armament.〔Gardiner and Chesneau, pp. 128-129〕 In some references the ''Benson'' and ''Gleaves'' classes are combined as the ''Benson'' class.〔 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Gleaves-class destroyer」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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