USS Claxton (DD-571)

	USS Claxton in a Dazzle camouflage paint scheme
History
United States
Name	USS Claxton
Namesake	Thomas Claxton
Builder	Consolidated Steel Corporation, Orange, Texas
Laid down	25 June 1941
Launched	1 April 1942
Commissioned	8 December 1942
Decommissioned	18 April 1946
Stricken	1 October 1974
Identification	DD-571
Fate	Transferred to West German Navy, 16 December 1959
West Germany
Name	Zerstörer 4
Acquired	16 December 1959
Stricken	1981
Identification	D178
Fate	Transferred to Greece as spares donor ship
General characteristics
Class and type	Fletcher-class destroyer; Zerstörer 1-class destroyer;
Displacement	2,050 long tons (2,080 t)
Length	376 ft 6 in (114.76 m)
Beam	39 ft 8 in (12.09 m)
Draft	17 ft 9 in (5.41 m)
Propulsion	60,000 shp (45 MW) ; 2 propellers
Speed	35 knots (65 km/h; 40 mph)
Range	6,500 nmi (12,000 km; 7,500 mi) at 15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph)
Complement	329
Armament	5 × single 5 in (127 mm)/38 guns; 5 × twin 40 mm (1.6 in) AA guns; 7 × single 20 mm (0.8 in) AA guns; 2 × quintuple 21 in (533 mm) torpedo tubes; 6 × single depth charge throwers; 2 × depth charge racks;

USS Claxton (DD-571), a Fletcher-class destroyer, was the second ship of the United States Navy to be named for Thomas Claxton, born in Baltimore, Maryland.

Claxton was launched 1 April 1942 by Consolidated Steel Corporation, Orange, Texas; sponsored by Mrs. A. D. Bernhard; and commissioned 8 December 1942, Commander Herald F. Stout in command.