Ship's Specifications

U.S.S. Soley (DD-707) was built at the Federal Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company in Kearney, New Jersey. Her keel was laid on April 18, 1944 and the ship launched five months later on September 8th.

Soley was a "Short Hull" Destroyer of the Allen M. Sumner class with a standard displacement of 2,200 tons and a Full Load Displacement: 3,315 tons. She measured 376' 6" in length, with a beam of 40' 10" and a draft of 15' 8". Her top speed was rated as over 35 knots and she was to carry a complement of 20 Officers and 325 Enlisted.

Weapons Suite

The ship's initial weapons suite consisted of the main Battery of three twin 5" 38 Cal. gun mounts controlled by the GFCS Mk. 37 and a Secondary Battery of twelve 4OMM and eleven 2OMM Anti-aircraft weapons controlled by Mk. 63 and Mk.51Gunfire Control Systems. The ASW battery consisted of two mounts of five 21" torpedoes tubes, depth charge racks and K-Guns.

At sometime after World War II, the 40MM and 20MM Anti-Aircraft battery was removed and replaced with 2 3"50 Cal. twin gun mounts and 2 3"50 Cal. single gun mounts controlled by Mk. 56 and Mk. 63 Gunfire Control Systems. The 3'50 Cal. single gun mounts and Mk. 63 Gunfire Control Systems were removed in late 1963

Extensive modifications to the ASW suite included removal of the two mounts of five 21" torpedoes tubes, and K-Guns. The Torpedo tubes were replaced with two triple tube Mk. 32 Surface Vessel Torpedo tube(SVTT) mounts and two Hedgehog ASW rocket mounts.

Propulsion