Influence of the General Board of the Navy on Interwar Destroyer Design

<p>The United States destroyer force underwent significant design improvement during the Interwar Period. The roles and missions of the destroyers evolved from WW I to the end of WW II based on design and tactics improvements as well as the overall expansion of the number of destroyers and the improved capabilities of destroyers. This was especially true of the Fletcher class introduced during the end of the interwar period. The Fletcher class became the largest single type and class of warship ever developed with 175 being built. The Navy's General Board similar to a general staff influenced all facets of the Navy from 1900 to 1950 when the General Board was disestablished and most of these duties assumed by the office of the Chief of Naval Operations. This thesis examines the General Board of the Navy's influence on destroyer design in the Interwar Period specifically improvements on destroyer speed radius of action armor and armament habitability and an array of mission capabilities.</p><p>This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work was reproduced from the original artifact and remains as true to the original work as possible. Therefore you will see the original copyright references library stamps (as most of these works have been housed in our most important libraries around the world) and other notations in the work.</p><p>This work is in the public domain in the United States of America and possibly other nations. Within the United States you may freely copy and distribute this work as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work.</p><p>As a reproduction of a historical artifact this work may contain missing or blurred pages poor pictures errant marks etc. Scholars believe and we concur that this work is important enough to be preserved reproduced and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.</p><br>