USS Watson (DD-482)

USS Watson (DD-482) was a United States Navy destroyer which was never laid down, her construction contract being cancelled in 1946.

History
United States
Name:	USS Watson
Namesake:	Rear Admiral John Crittenden Watson (1842-1923)
Builder:	Federal Shipbuilding and Drydock Company, Kearny, New Jersey (proposed)
Laid down:	Never
Fate:	Construction contract cancelled 7 January 1946
General characteristics
Class and type:	Fletcher-class destroyer
Displacement:	2,325 tons (standard) 2,924 tons (full load)
Length:	369 ft 1 in (112.50 m) waterline 376 ft 5 in (114.73 m) oa
Beam:	39 ft 7 in (12.07 m)
Draft:	13 ft 9 in (4.19 m) (full load)
Propulsion:	Experimental diesel system, 2 shafts
Speed:	35 knots (65 km/h; 40 mph)
Range:	6,500 nmi (12,000 km) at 15 kt
Complement:	70
Armament:	5 × 5 inch (127 mm)/38 caliber guns 1 × quad 1.1-inch (28 mm) autocannon mount 4 × 20 mm guns 10 × 21 inch (533 mm) torpedo tubes
Armor:	Side: 0.75 inch (19 mm) Deck over machinery: 0.5 inch (12.7 mm)

Watson was planned as a modified Fletcher-class destroyer to be built by the Federal Shipbuilding and Drydock Company at Kearny, New Jersey. She was to be powered by an experimental diesel propulsion system. However, due to more pressing World War II destroyer construction programs, Watson was never laid down, and her construction contract was ultimately cancelled on 7 January 1946.

References

• This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. The entry can be found here.
• Chesneau, Roger. Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1922-1946. New York: Mayflower Books, Inc., 1980. ISBN 0-8317-0303-2.