The ''Cannon'' class was a

class Class or The Class may refer to: Common uses not otherwise categorized * Class (biology), a taxonomic rank * Class (knowledge representation), a collection of individuals or objects * Class (philosophy), an analytical concept used differentl ...

of destroyer escorts built by the United States primarily for

antisubmarine warfare Anti-submarine warfare (ASW, or in older form A/S) is a branch of underwater warfare that uses surface warships, aircraft, submarines, or other platforms, to find, track, and deter, damage, or destroy enemy submarines. Such operations are typic ...

and convoy escort service during World War II. The lead ship, USS ''Cannon'', was commissioned on 26 September 1943 at Wilmington, Delaware. Of the 116 ships ordered, 44 were cancelled and six were commissioned directly into the Free French Forces. Destroyer escorts were regular companions escorting vulnerable cargo ships. With the decommissioning of the Philippine Navy's BRP ''Rajah Humabon'' (PS-11) in March 2018; HTMS ''Pin Klao'' (DE-413) of the Royal Thai Navy is the only ship of the class in commission.

Propulsion

The class was also known as the DET type from their diesel electric tandem drives. The propulsion system of the (GMT = General Motors Tandem) was identical. The DET's substitution for a turboelectric propulsion plant was the primary difference with the predecessor ("TE") class. The DET was, in turn, replaced with a direct-drive diesel plant to yield the design of the successor ("FMR") class.

Hull numbers

A total of 72 ships of the ''Cannon'' class were built. * DE-99 through DE-113 (six are French) * DE-162 through DE-197 * DE-739 through DE-750 * DE-763 through DE-771

Wartime transfers

During World War II, six ships of the class were earmarked for the Free French Naval Forces and a further eight were transferred the Brazilian Navy.

Free French ships

* as ''Sénégalais'' * as ''Algérien'' * as ''Tunisien'' * as ''Marocain'' * as ''Hova'' * as ''Somali''

Transferred to Brazil

* as ''Babitonga'' * as ''Baependi'' * as ''Benevente'' * as ''Beberibe'' * as ''Bocaina'' * as ''Bauru'' - now a museum ship in Rio de Janeiro * as ''Bertioga'' * as ''Bracui''

Postwar dispersal

After the end of World War II, the United States Navy transferred many ships of the ''Cannon'' class to other navies.

Transferred to France

* as ''Malgache'' (F724); served 1952-1969 * as ''Touareg'' (F721); served 1950-1960 * as ''Soudanais'' (F722); served 1950-1959 * as ''Berbère'' (F723); served 1952-1960 * as ''Kabyle'' (F718); served 1950-1959 * as ''Arabe'' (F717); served 1950-1968 * as ''Bambara'' (F719); served 1950-1959 * as ''Sakalave'' (F720); served 1950-1960

Transferred to Greece

* as ''Leon''; served 1951–1992 * as ''Aetos''; served 1951–1991; now a museum ship in Albany, New York, the only destroyer escort afloat in the United States * as ''Ierax ''; served 1951–1991 * as ''Panthir''; served 1951–1992

Transferred to Italy

* as ''Andromeda'' (F 592) 1951; scrapped in 1972 * as ''Aldebaran'' (F 590) 1951; scrapped in 1976 * as ''Altair'' (F 591) 1951; stricken and sunk as target in 1971

Transferred to Japan

* as ''Asahi'' (DE-262) 1955–75 (then to the Philippines) * as ''Hatsuhi'' (DE-263) 1955–75 (then to the Philippines)

Transferred to the Netherlands

* as ''Van Amstel'' (F806) 1950 * as ''Bitter'' (F807) 1950 * as ''Van Ewijck'' (F808) 1950 * as ''Dubois'' (F809) 1950 * as ''Zeeuw'' (F810) 1950 * as ''van Zijll'' (F811) 1950

Transferred to Peru

* as BAP ''Castilla''; served 1951–1979 * as BAP ''Aguirre''; served 1951–1974 * as BAP ''Rodríguez''; served 1951–1979

Transferred to the Philippines

* as BRP ''Datu Sikatuna'' (PF-5); scrapped in 1989 * as BRP ''Rajah Humabon'' (PF-11); retired in 2018 * as BRP ''Datu Kalantiaw'' (PS-76); sunk during a typhoon in 1981 * —cannibalized for parts * —cannibalized for parts

Transferred to South Korea

* as ROKN ''Kyong Ki'' (F-71); served 1956–1977 (then to the Philippines) * as ROKN ''Kang Won'' (F-72); served 1956–1977 (then to the Philippines)

Transferred to the Republic of China (Taiwan)

* as

ROCN The Republic of China Navy (ROCN; ), also called the ROC Navy and colloquially the Taiwan Navy, is the maritime branch of the Republic of China Armed Forces (ROCAF). The service was formerly commonly just called the Chinese Navy during World Wa ...

''Taihe'' (太和) * as ROCN ''Taicang'' (太倉) * as ROCN ''Taihu'' (太湖) * as ROCN ''Taizhao'' (太昭)

Transferred to Thailand

* as HTMS ''Pin Klao'' (413)

Transferred to Uruguay

* as ''Uruguay'' (DE-1); served 1952–1990 * as ''Artigas'' (DE-2); served 1952–1988

Ships in Class

References

External links

List of Cannon class Destroyer EscortsUSS Slater
{{DEFAULTSORT:Cannon Class Destroyer Escort Frigate classes Ship classes of the French Navy