Design History
The second batch of flushdeckers, following the Wickes class, was the Clemson class. The primary feature differentiating the two classes was the provision for oil bunkers to the sides of the boiler rooms in the Clemson class, with hopes of remedying the problematical situation in the Wickes class of widely varying endurances.

Otherwise similar in armament, propulsion systems, and layout, the Clemson class suffered from the same problem with the Yarrow boilers that the Wickes class had.

Modification History
More Clemsons than Wickes remained in commission through the inter-war period. Fourteen destroyers were rebuild as seaplane tenders in 1938-1940, losing two boilers in favor of aviation-fuel storage; another four were converted to fast minelayers in 1930-1937, and nine to fast minesweepers in 1940-1942. Eleven were modified as escorts prewar, receiving 3" L/50 guns instead of the 4" guns installed previously, and also losing a boiler.

During the war, those ships not yet converted to special roles received additional 20mm guns and ASW weapons, for they, too, would now be primarily used for ASW. Torpedo tubes were reduced in favor of K-guns. Nine of the seaplane tenders were re-designated destroyers. All ships received air and surface search radar.

Service History
Eleven Clemson class destroyers and two seaplane carrier conversions were serving with the Asiatic Fleet in 1941, providing valuable service and making the first U.S. torpedo attack at Balikpapan. Five of their number, all destroyers, were lost, with Steward afterwards seeing service in the Imperial Japanese Navy as a patrol boat. Pacific service for these destroyers continued in the Aleutians, where they continued in regular destroyer roles. After 1943, there remained no regular destroyers of this class, all having been converted to various roles as escorts. A total of 19 were transfered to Great Britain in the 1940 Destroyers-for-Bases-Deal.

Ships in class:

DD-187 Dahlgren DD-188 Goldsborough DD-189 Semmes DD-196 George E. Badger DD-199 Alexander Dallas DD-206 Chandler DD-207 Southard DD-208 Hovey DD-209 Long DD-210 Broome DD-211 Alden DD-213 Barker DD-214 Tracy DD-215 Borie DD-216 John D. Edwards DD-217 Whipple DD-218 Parrott DD-219 Edsall DD-220 MacLeish DD-221 Simpson

DD-222 Bulmer DD-223 McCormick DD-224 Stewart DD-225 Pope DD-226 Peary DD-227 Pillsbury DD-228 John D. Ford DD-229 Truxtun DD-230 Paul Jones DD-231 Hartfield DD-236 Humphreys DD-237 McFarland DD-239 Overton DD-240 Sturtevant DD-241 Childs DD-242 King DD-243 Sands DD-244 Williamson DD-245 Reuben James DD-246 Bainbridge

DD-247 Goff DD-248 Barry DD-249 Hopkins DD-250 Lawrence DD-251 Belknap DD-255 Osmond Ingraham DD-260 Gillis DD-266 Greene DD-267 Ballard DD-270 Thornton DD-336 Litchfield DD-337 Zane DD-338 Wasmuth DD-339 Trever DD-340 Perry DD-341 Decatur DD-342 Hulbert DD-343 Noa DD-344 William B. Preston

DD-345 Preble DD-346 Sicard DD-347 Pruitt