abstract
| - The Mahan-class destroyers originally included 16 ships: the United States Navy commissioned 15 of them in 1936 and one in 1937. Two more ships, often referred to as the Dunlap class, were approved in the basic Mahan design; both commissioned in 1937. USS Mahan was the lead ship of the class, named for Rear-Admiral Alfred T. Mahan, an influential historian and theorist on sea power. The class introduced a new propulsion system that changed the technology for future wartime destroyers. It incorporated a number of major betterments, which included the mounting of twelve torpedo tubes, superimposed gun shelters, and new generators for emergency use. Ship displacement increased from 1,365 tons to 1,500 tons All eighteen ships of the class saw action in World War II, entirely in the Pacific Theater of Operations. Their participation in major and secondary campaigns involved the bombardment of beachheads, amphibious landings, task force screening, convoy and patrol duty, anti-aircraft and submarine warfare. Collectively, the class received 111 battle stars for World War II service. Six ships became combat losses and two were expended in post-war tests. The remainder were decommissioned, sold, or scrapped after the war.
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