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Given the huge numbers of flush deck four piper destroyers in reserve after World War I, the Navy had a hard time convincing Congress to allocate funds for destroyer construction during the  Great Depression. Nonetheless, small numbers of modern designs were built to display the state of the art, and keep development ongoing. Laid down in 1934 and commissioned in 1936, the USS Mahan was the lead ship of a class of 18 modern destroyers. Of the class, six would be lost in the war, and the other 12 retired as obsolete after the Second World War.

At 1500 tons, and 341 feet long, we begin to see the characteristics that would eventually evolve into the Fletcher and Gearing/Sumner class destroyers built in vast numbers for World War II service.

The primary armament was three sets of quadruple torpedo tubes, in an unusual layout. One quad launcher was atop the centerline deckhouse between the first and second funnels. Aft, there were quad launchers on the main deck port and starboard. Thus, as many as 8 torpedoes were available for any one broadside, and four held in reserve should the ship wish to re-attack.

Five 5”/38 caliber guns were mounted, with the two forward guns having partial shields, and the three after guns on base ring mounts, but with no gunhouses.