San Giorgio-class destroyer

San Marco
Class overview
Name	San Giorgio
Builders	Cantieri Navali del Tirreno Riuniti Regio Cantiere di Castellammare di Stabia
Operators	Italian Navy
Preceded by	Template:Sclass-
Succeeded by	Template:Sclass-
Subclasses	Capitani Romani class
Built	1939-1941
In commission	1955-1980
Planned	2
Completed	2
Retired	2
General characteristics
Type	Destroyer
Displacement	4,850 long tons (4,928 t) standard 5,600 long tons (5,690 t) full load
Length	142.2 m (466 ft 6 in)
Beam	14.4 m (47 ft 3 in)
Draft	5.1 m (16 ft 9 in)
Propulsion	4 × Thornycroft boilerss, 110,000 shp (82 MW) 2 × screws
Speed	39 knots (72 km/h; 45 mph)
Range	4,060 nmi (7,520 km) at 16 kn (30 km/h; 18 mph)
Complement	314
Sensors and processing systems	1 × AN/SPS-6 air-search radar 1 × SG-6B surface-search radar 1 × SP radar 1 × AN/SQS-11 sonar 1 × Mark 37 Director
Armament	3 × twin 5"/38 cal guns 1 × Menon ASW mortar 4 × quad 40 mm bofors 2 × twin 40 mm bofors 2 × Depth charge tracks

The San Giorgio class was a class of 2 destroyers by the Italian Navy. They entered service in 1955, with the last one being decommissioned in 1980.

History

After the World War II, given the changing needs of the Navy in the Mediterranean, it was decided to transform the two ships into destroyers. For the former Pompeo Magno (San Giorgio) and for the former Giulio Germanico (San Marco) the works took place from 1953 to 1955 respectively at the Cantieri del Tirreno in Genoa and the Navalmeccanica in Castellammare di Stabia.

San Giorgio

The San Giorgio had entered service in the Regia Marina with the name Pompeo Magno in 1943 shortly before the armistice. After the removal from the Navy cadres it was marked by the initials FV 1, but in 1950 its reconstruction was decided as destroyer and enrolled in the rolls with the name San Giorgio.

Once the work was completed, the ship entered service in the Italian Navy on 1 July 1955 with the D 562 initials.

In 1963 and until 1965, the San Giorgio was again subjected to modification works at the Arsenal of La Spezia to be transformed into a training ship for the students of the Naval Academy of Livorno, carrying out this task until it was disarmed, which took place in 1980.

San Marco

The San Marco was built with the name Giulio Germanico in the Royal Shipyard of Castellammare di Stabia. Set up in 1939 and launched in 1941, it was completing the set-up when the armistice of 8 September was signed.

Falling into the hands of the Germans who had taken control of the shipyard, it was scuttled when the following 28 September the German occupation troops left the city.

After the war the hull of the Giulio Germanico was recovered in the port of Castellammare and after the radiation marked by the initials FV 2, given the good overall condition of the hull in 1950 it was decided to rebuild it as a destroyer and registered in the roles with the name San Marco.

Once the work was completed, the ship entered service in the Italian Navy on 1 January 1956 with the serial number D 563, serving until 1971 when it was placed in disarmament.

Design

For the two units the main reconstruction works concerned the armament. The eight 135 mm/45 cal guns, capable of delivering very precise shots, but lacking satisfactory anti-aircraft capability, were removed and replaced with six less powerful US 5"/38 cal guns but with the fundamental ability to perform effective anti-aircraft fire. The guns were configured in three twin towers, one forward and two aft. In place of the second twin forward tower, a Menon ASW mortar was installed.

The anti-aircraft armament was also reconfigured with the removal of the eight 37 mm/5 cal guns replaced by four 40 mm bofors guns in quad variant and two in twin variant systems.

The guns weee controlled by a US Mark 37 director with Mark 25 radar on top. Other electronic devices were the AN/SPS-6 air-search radar, the SG-6B surface-search radar and an SQS-11 sonar.

The anti-submarine armament was complemented by four side anti-submarine mortar and two depth charge tracks.

Ships in the class

Pennant	Name	Builders	Laid down	Launched	Commissioned/Recommissioned	Decommissioned
D 562	San Giorgio	Fincantieri, Ancona	3 September 1939	24 August 1941	24 June 1943	1 May 1948
					1955	1980
D 563	San Marco	Regio Cantiere di Castellammare di Stabia	3 April 1939	26 July 1941	1955	1971

Gallery

• 
  Pompeo Magno
• 
  San Giorgio
• 
  Giulio Germanico
• 
  San Marco