* Armament as during the Battle of Midway (June 1942).

Twelve Sims class ships were the sixth and final class of the “third-generation” 1500-ton pre-war destroyers that modernized the U.S. Navy in the 1930s. The destroyers were also the last of the single stack designs, and the last class completed before the United States entered World War II.

As initially designed, the Sims class emphasized surface combat capabilities, with three 21 in (533 mm) quadruple torpedo mounts (two on the beam and one centerline) and five 5 in (127 mm) double purpose guns. But the first Sims class ships were found to be significantly overweight and top-heavy, so the two beam torpedo mounts were replaced by one centerline mount to improve stability. It quickly became obvious that the destroyers also needed more anti-submarine and anti-aircraft capabilities. This necessitated further reductions in top-weight, accomplished by removing no. 3 gun mount and some other equipment to accommodate additional K-type depth charge throwers and an enhanced AA fit, four single .79 in (20 mm) Oerlikon autocannons in lieu of the .50 in (12.7 mm) machine guns.

Five Sims class destroyers (DD-410 Hughes, DD-411 Anderson, DD-412 Hammann, DD-414 Russell, DD-417 Morris) took part in the Battle of Midway as Task Force 17 Destroyer Screen (Task Group 17.4).