Under construction Federal Shipyard 1942

photo courtesy Dave McComb

The Fletcher Class

• Builder: Federal Shipbuilding Company

• Laid Down: January 27, 1942

• Launched: July 19, 1942

• Commissioned: August 28, 1942

• Fate: Stricken September 1,1966

• Displacement:2,325 tons (2,924 tons Full load)

• Length:376 feet 5 inches

• Beam:39 feet 7 inches

• Draught:13 feet 9 inches

• Machinery: Four Babcock & Wilcox boilers 2-shaft 
  G.E.C. geared turbines

• Performance:60,000 shp for 38 knots

• Bunkerage:492 tons

• Range:6,500 nautical miles at 15 knots

• Guns: Five 5 inch; four 1.1 inch; four 20mm

• Torpedoes: Ten 21 inch.

The ship was named for LTjg. Richard Caswell Saufley, who was designated Naval Aviator 
No. 14. Saufley Field in Pensacola FL was also named after him. He was instrumental in 
setting up the first Naval Flight Training in 1914 at Pensacola.

USS Saufley Launching

Photos courtesy James Coulling