List of United States Navy destroyer leaders


In the 1930s, the United States Navy built two classes of flotilla leaders, the Porter class, and the Somers class. Due to the regulations of the London Naval Treaty, these 13 ships had a displacement of 1,850 tons, compared to the 1,500 tons of a "standard" destroyer. When the treaty ended with the outbreak of World War II in Europe in 1939, the much larger Fletcher class was constructed, making the differentiation irrelevant.
Following the war, destroyer leader was a hull classification symbol used by the U.S. Navy from the 1950s until 1975. These ships were more commonly called frigates, although they were much larger than frigates of other navies. They were intended to be larger and more capable than destroyers and to lead a destroyer task force. During the 1975 USN ship reclassification these ships were reclassified as guided missile destroyers or guided missile cruisers. The last one of these ships was decommissioned in 1999. A total of 41 ships bore this classification.
ShipBuilt asReclassified asClassCommissioned–
decommissioned		NVR link
NorfolkDL-1—Norfolk1953–1970
MitscherDL-2DDG-35Mitscher1953–1978
John S. McCainDL-3DDG-36Mitscher1953–1978
Willis A. LeeDL-4—Mitscher1954–1969
WilkinsonDL-5—Mitscher1954–1969
FarragutDLG-6DDG-37Farragut1960–1989
LuceDLG-7DDG-38Farragut1961–1991
MacdonoughDLG-8DDG-39Farragut1961–1992
CoontzDLG-9DDG-40Farragut1960–1989
KingDLG-10DDG-41Farragut1960–1991
MahanDLG-11DDG-42Farragut1960–1993
DahlgrenDLG-12DDG-43Farragut1961–1992
William V. PrattDLG-13DDG-44Farragut1961–1991
DeweyDLG-14DDG-45Farragut1959–1990
PrebleDLG-15DDG-46Farragut1960–1991
LeahyDLG-16CG-16Leahy1962–1993
Harry E. YarnellDLG-17CG-17Leahy1963–1993
WordenDLG-18CG-18Leahy1963–1993
DaleDLG-19CG-19Leahy1963–1994
Richmond K. TurnerDLG-20CG-20Leahy1964–1995
GridleyDLG-21CG-21Leahy1963–1994
EnglandDLG-22CG-22Leahy1963–1994
HalseyDLG-23CG-23Leahy1963–1994
ReevesDLG-24CG-24Leahy1964–1993
BainbridgeDLGN-25CGN-25Bainbridge1962–1996
BelknapDLG-26CG-26Belknap1964–1995
Josephus DanielsDLG-27CG-27Belknap1965–1994
WainwrightDLG-28CG-28Belknap1966–1993
JouettDLG-29CG-29Belknap1966–1994
HorneDLG-30CG-30Belknap1967–1994
SterettDLG-31CG-31Belknap1967–1994
William H. StandleyDLG-32CG-32Belknap1966–1994
FoxDLG-33CG-33Belknap1966–1994
BiddleDLG-34CG-34Belknap1967–1993
TruxtunDLGN-35CGN-35Truxtun1967–1995
CaliforniaDLGN-36CGN-36California1974–1999
South Carolina*DLGN-37CGN-37California1975–1999
Virginia**DLGN-38CGN-38Virginia1976–1994
Texas**DLGN-39CGN-39Virginia1977–1993
Mississippi**DLGN-40CGN-40Virginia1978–1997
Arkansas**DLGN-41CGN-41Virginia1980–1998

*South Carolina was the last ship commissioned as a DL type.

**Ordered as DLGN, reclassified as CGN prior to commissioning.