Destroyer squadron
naval squadron or flotilla usually consisting of destroyers
A destroyer squadron is a naval squadron or flotilla usually consisting of destroyers rather than other types of vessel. In some navies other vessels, such as frigates, may be included. In English the word "squadron" tends to be used for larger and "flotilla" for smaller vessels; both may be used for destroyer units. Similar formations are used in non-English-speaking countries, e.g., the "escadrille"—which would translate directly as "squadron"—in France.
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy began to form units of destroyers after the introduction of 'torpedo boat destroyers' in the early 1900s, though pre-World War Two they were usually designated flotillas. RN destroyer units are listed in the main article above examples of some destroyer squadrons below.
1st Destroyer Squadron, 1947-1970
2nd Destroyer Squadron, 1956-1971
3rd Destroyer Squadron, 1945-2001
4th Destroyer Squadron, 1948-1959
5th Destroyer Squadron, 1947-2002
US Navy
The U.S. Navy acronym for a destroyer squadron is DESRON; it comprises three or more destroyers or frigates. It is not generally responsible for training, equipping and administering of its ships. Rather, it provides tactical and operational control for assigned units for the purpose of combat employment. A mixed unit including destroyers is the cruiser-destroyer group.
“Destroyer squadron” enters the record as naval squadron or flotilla usually consisting of destroyers. Crown Archives preserves that source wording while asking what Destroyer, squadron and naval can confirm, complicate or overturn.
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This entry incorporates text from “Destroyer squadron” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.