Weapons — Five short videos
USS Cassin Young (DD-793), a Fletcher-class destroyer, was named for Captain Cassin Young (1894–1942), who was awarded the Medal of Honor after Pearl Harbor and killed in the Naval Battle of Guadalcanal. She was launched 12 September 1943 by Bethlehem Steel Corp., San Pedro, California; sponsored by Mrs. C. Young; and commissioned 31 December 1943, Commander E. T. Schrieber in command.
Click a title below the player to select a video.
These deck-mounted torpedoes had a range of 3–7 miles depending on speed, and required a four-man crew to aim and fire. Used against surface ships, the torpedo had the power to sink its target on impact.
The Hedgehog took its name from the appearance of its launcher after firing: when its 24 small bombs were away, the remaining support spines resembled a hedgehog’s quills. Fired as a supplement to depth charges, the bombs formed a circular pattern around a target submarine and exploded on contact. Four crewmen could load 24 bombs and fire the weapon every three minutes.
Five of these guns formed Cassin Young’s main armament. They could engage aircraft, surface ships, and shore targets at ranges up to 9 miles. Nine men were needed to load, aim, and fire each gun.
A crew of 5–7 men were needed to load, aim, and fire this close-in anti-aircraft weapon.
The Navy’s largest machine gun in World War II, the 40mm was capable of 160 rounds per minute. It was later removed from service as it proved relatively ineffective against jet aircraft.