US Naval Gun Mount Production During World War II

by Tony DiGiulian
Updated 29 September 2006

The following three tables show the production of Naval Gun mounts used on Naval Combatant Ships during World War II.  Data adapted from that given in "U.S. Navy Bureau of Ordnance in World War II" by Buford Rowland, Lt. Cmdr, USNR and William B. Boyd, Lt., USNR and corrected for known errors and omissions.  The following general notes apply to all tables:

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.
 Surface Guns
.
 
Number of Installations
Percentage distribution by type of ship as of 30 June 1945
Type of Turret or Mount
1 July 1940
30 June 1945
Battleships
BB
Carriers
CVB, CV, CVL & CVE
Large and Heavy Cruisers
CB & CA
Light Cruisers
CL
Destroyers
DD
Destroyer Escorts
DE
Submarines
SS
Mine craft
CM, CMC, DM & DMS
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Number
Number
Percent
Percent
Percent
Percent
Percent
Percent
Percent
Percent
16"/50
3-gun turrets
0
12
100
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
16"/45
3-gun turrets
0
18
100
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
14"/50
3-gun turrets
12
12
100
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
14"/45
triple turrets
12
6
100
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
14"/45
2-gun turrets
14
12
100
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
12"/50
3-gun turrets
0
6
---
---
100
---
---
---
---
---
12"/50
2-gun turrets
6
6
100
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
8"/55
3-gun turrets
3
54
---
---
100
---
---
---
---
---
8"/55
triple turrets and mounts
49
28
---
---
100
---
---
---
---
---
8"/55
twin mounts
12
4
---
---
100
---
---
---
---
---
6"/53
twin mounts
20
18
---
---
---
100
---
---
---
---
6"/53
single mounts
(wet & dry)
66
54
---
---
---
96
---
 ---
4
--- 
 6"/47
triple turrets
15
152
---
--- 
---
100
--- 
--- 
--- 
--- 
 5"/51
single mounts
(wet and dry)
218
33
97 
3 
--- 
--- 
--- 
--- 
--- 
--- 
5"/38 SP
twin mounts
52
15
---
--- 
--- 
--- 
100
---
--- 
--- 
5"/25 SP
single mounts (wet type)
0
255
---
--- 
--- 
--- 
--- 
--- 
100
---
4"/50 SP
single mounts
(wet & dry)
723
60
---
--- 
--- 
--- 
30
---
70
---
3"/50 SP
single mounts
(wet type)
39
13
---
--- 
--- 
---
---
---
100
---
.
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Dual Purpose Guns
.
 
Number of Installations
Percentage distribution by type of ship as of 30 June 1945
Type of Turret or Mount
1 July 1940
30 June 1945
Battleships
BB
Carriers
CVB, CV, CVL & CVE
Large and Heavy Cruisers
CB & CA
Light Cruisers
CL
Destroyers
DD
Destroyer Escorts
DE
Submarines
SS
Mine craft
CM, CMC, DM & DMS
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Number
Number
 Percent
Percent
Percent
Percent
Percent
Percent
Percent
Percent
 5"/54 DP
single mounts
0
36
---
100
---
---
---
---
---
---
5"/38 DP
twin mounts
8
958
15
10
7
26
37
---
---
---
5"/38 DP
single mounts base ring type*
137
1,455
1
---
1
---
76
16
---
6
5"/38 DP
single mounts
pedestal type*
178
162
---
47
2
---
51
---
---
---
5"/38 DP
single Mark 37
Merchant Type**
0
97
---
100
---
---
---
---
---
---
5"/25 DP
single mounts
288
160
20
---
55
25
---
---
---
---
3"/50 DP
single mounts
(wet & dry)
95
938
3
1
---
6
2
84
2
2
3"/23 AA
single mounts
(wet & dry)
181
0
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
.
* The data in the book has erroneous data for the quantity of 5"/38 pedestal and base-ring single mounts.  For that reason, I have substituted my own counts for these two items in the tables above.  Counting methodology shown below in "Quantity of 5" DP Mounts."

** Percentages from book.  However, the Mark 37 was a very simplified 5"/38 mounting used only on Merchant ships.  5"/38 guns used on Escort Carriers were actually Mark 30 Mods lacking shields, axial hoists and RPC, and were somewhat similar to the Mark 37 only in a general sense.
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.

.
Antiaircraft Guns
.
 
Number of Installations
Percentage distribution by type of ship as of 30 June 1945
Type of Turret or Mount
1 July 1940
30 June 1945
Battleships
BB
Carriers
CVB, CV, CVL & CVE
Large and Heavy Cruisers
CB & CA
Light Cruisers
CL
Destroyers
DD
Destroyer Escorts
DE
Submarines
SS
Mine craft
CM, CMC, DM & DMS
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Number
Number
 Percent
Percent
Percent
Percent
Percent
Percent
Percent
Percent
 40 mm AA
quad mounts
0
1,585
24
24
13
10
21
6
---
2
40 mm AA
twin mounts
0
3,045
---
27
1
9
43 
17
---
3
40 mm AA
single mounts
0
510
---
1
---
---
---
52
48
---
1.1" AA
quad mounts
38
97
---
---
---
---
---
100
---
---
20 mm AA
twin mounts
0
2,381
---
100
---
---
---
---
---
---
20 mm AA
single mounts
0
10,180
9
23
3
4
20 
35
3
3
0.50" AA MG
twin mounts
0
8
---
---
---
---
25
75
---
---
0.50" AA MG
single mounts
916
433
2
---
---
---
2
2
85
9
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.
Quantity of 5" DP Mounts

As noted above, I believe that the data in this book for 5"/38 DP single pedestal and base ring gun mounts to be in error.  For this reason, I have performed my own counts for the number of 5" mounts available on 1 July 1940.  Only ships actually in commission on 1 July 1940 are included in this first table.

.
.
Pedestal and Base Ring 5"/38 DP Single Mounts as of 1 July 1940
.
Ship Class
Number of ships in class
5" DP Mounts per ship
Pedestal / Base Ring
Total Number of Pedestal Mounts
Total Number of Base Ring Mounts
Yorktown
2
8 / 0
16
0
Wasp
1
8 / 0
8
0
Wichita
1
4 / 4
4
4
Farragut
8
5 / 0
40
0
Mahan
16
5 / 0
80
0
Dunlap
2
3 / 2
6
4
Gridley
4
2 / 2
8
8
Bagley
8
2 / 2
16
16
Benham
10
0 / 4
0
40
Sims
12
0 / 5
0
60
Gleaves
1
0 / 5
0
5
Totals 
---
---
178
137
.
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In this second table, only pedestal mounts are counted and only those ships in commission on 30 June 1945 are included.  The horrendous losses among the pre-war destroyers is amply indicated.
.
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Pedestal 5"/38 Mounts on 30 June 1945
.
Ship Class
Number of ships in class
Pedestal Mounts per ship
Total Number of Pedestal Mounts
Yorktown
1
8
8
Essex
17
4
68
Wichita
1
4
4
Farragut
4
4
20
Mahan
4
4
40
Dunlap
2
2
4
Gridley
2
2
8
Bagley
2
2
10
Total 
---
---
162
.
Additional information on 5" mountings may be found on the data page for 5"/38 Mark 12 guns.
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