The Chungbuk-class was a class of 7 destroyers, formerly the United States' Gearing-class destroyer, that were transferred to and commissioned by the Republic of Korea Navy. They entered service in 1972, with the last one being decommissioned in 2001.

History These were ships used by the US Navy during World War II and were modernized in electronics and weaponry during FRAM II. They were once magnificent ships, which throughout the 1970s constituted the backbone of the Republic of Korea Navy as a replacement for Chungmu class destroyers. Eventually, they were deemed too outdated. However, they remained in service until well into the 1990s, when they were downright obsolete. They were all leased till 1977 then bought by the navy.

They received two destroyers of the Gearing class for the Republic of Korea Navy from the US in 1972 as part of the American Military Assistance Program. More were later leased over in later years.

Ships in the class Name Hull Number FRAM Commissioned Decommissioned Status ReferencesROKS ChungbukDD-915 1972December 2000Former DD-805 Chevalier, decommissionedROKS JeonbukDD-916 1972December 1999Former DD-830 Everett F. Larson, decommissionedROKS DaejeonDD-919 1977February 2001Former DD-818 New, decommissioned and used as a museum ship until scrappedROKS GwangjuDD-921 1977December 2000Former DD-849 Richaard E. Kraus, decommissionedROKS GangwonDD-922 1978December 2000Former DD-714 William R. Rush, decommissionedROKS GyeonggiDD-923 19781997Former DD-883 Newman K. Perry, decommissionedROKS JeonjuDD-925 1981December 1999Former DD-876 Rogers, decommissioned and used as a museum ship

See also List of destroyer classes

Equivalent destroyers of the same era

Type 42

Citations