USS Abner Read (DD-769) was a planned United States Navy Gearing-class destroyer laid down during World War II but never completed. The ship was to be the second ship named for Abner Read (1821–1863), a United States Navy officer killed during the American Civil War. She was assigned the name during construction when the first Abner Read (DD-526), a Fletcher-class destroyer, was sunk by a kamikaze during the Battle of Leyte, 1 November 1944.[1]

Model of USS Gearing (DD-710), a Gearing-class destroyer, Abner Read would have been of this class. Note that the after set of torpedo tubes has already been replaced by a 40 mm quadruple mount in this model.
History
United States
Name	Abner Read
Namesake	Lieutenant commander Abner Read
Builder	Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corporation, San Francisco, California
Laid down	21 May 1944
Stricken	13 September 1946
Identification	Hull symbol: DD-769
Fate	Cancelled 12 September 1946 and scrapped on slip
General characteristics (as planned)
Class and type	Gearing-class destroyer
Displacement	2,425 long tons (2,464 t) (standard) 3,460 long tons (3,520 t) (full)
Length	390 ft 6 in (119.0 m) (overall)
Beam	40 ft 10 in (12.45 m)
Draft	14 ft 4 in (4.37 m)
Installed power	60,000 shp (45,000 kW)
Propulsion	2 × geared turbines 2 × propellers
Speed	35 kn (65 km/h; 40 mph)
Range	4,500 nmi (8,300 km; 5,200 mi) at 20 kn (37 km/h; 23 mph)
Complement	336 officers and enlisted
Armament	6 × 5 in (127 mm)/38 caliber guns 12 × 40 mm (1.6 in) Bofors AA guns 11 × 20 mm (0.79 in) Oerlikon AA cannons 10 × 21 in (533 mm) torpedo tubes 6 × depth charge projectors 2 × depth charge tracks

Construction

Abner Read was laid down by the Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corporation at San Francisco, California on 21 May 1944. The end of World War II in August 1945 resulted in the termination of the contract for her construction on 12 September 1946 or 13 September 1946. She was stricken from the Naval Vessel Register on 13 September 1946 and scrapped on the building ways.[1][2] Scrapping was completed in January 1947.^{[citation needed]}

Notes

References

External links

• Photo gallery of USS Abner Read (DD-769) at NavSource Naval History