Design History
The United States Navy's destroyer procurement, like that of everyone else, featured a rapid growth of numbers and individual size. From the initial construction, the destroyer Bainbridge of 710 tons full load, to the 2,600 ton Gearing class, four decades of destroyer production passed. Tonnage increased quickly as greater offensive and screening capacity was needed, and as entirely new fields of action opened up in air and sub-surface warfare. Few of the older vessels were capable of serving the Navy post-World War I for a variety of reasons. The one ship of the pre-1914 designs which survived to see service in World War II was ALLEN, of the thousand-ton classes of 1910-1917.

The thousand tonners resulted from a requirement issued by the General Board, calling for larger destroyers to feature in the FY12 plans for a mass-production ship to quickly supplement the fleet with ships. The General Board's specifications called for a strong gun armament, including at least one 4" gun to replace the 3" guns of the preceeding classes. In addition, a large steaming radius, good heavy weather ability and if possible, a larger torpedo battery, then still of 18 inches. By March 1911, when it had become obvious that the FY12 bill would include destroyers, the Bureau of Construction and Repair could offer eight schemes for the new destroyer. At the same time, Congress authorized eight new destroyers. C&R's smallest, 900ton light ship displacement, design was accepted for those new destroyers. For FY13, now, the General Board called for still more powerful destroyers. The new design was to sacrifice one of the guns of the earlier ships, but to have 21" torpedo tubes instead, and more of those, too. The design was accepted.

By September 1912, another design was being prepared, for FY14. This new ship would be still more powerful: four 4" guns, six 21" torpedo tubes in six twin mounts. However, it appeared unfeasible, and in the end, the resultant Tucker class had only four torpedo tubes. However, in time for the FY15 program, essentially a repeat Tucker, the Navy had triple mounts prepared, and put four of those on the Sampson class, to which Allen belonged. With its four 4" guns, two 1" pom-pom AA mounts, mine-laying capacity and endurance of some 2,500 miles at 20 knots, the new ships were superior to any destroyer then in use in the world.

Modification History
Allen received depth charges and K-guns in place of her after set of triple torpedo tubes, and 6 20mm anti-aircraft guns to replace her 1" pom-poms. She also received an SC air-search and SU surface-search radar outfits later on (had them by 5/44).

Service History
Allen commissioned in 1917, joining Atlantic convoys and patrol groups along the Atlantic seaboard and to Europe. In 1922, she decommissioned, and was recommissioned again in 1925. She served as a training ship until 1928, when she was decommissioned again. She remained in mothballs until 1940, when she was recommissioned to serve as a patrol ship. She arrived at Pearl Harbor on December 9th 1940, remaining until August 1945. She escorted convoys to and from Pearl Harbor throughout the Hawaiian Islands, served as harbor picket and gunnery and ASW training ship. She earned a Battle Star for the Pearl Harbor attack.

Ships in class:
DD-66 Allen