View source for Soviet destroyer Gromky (1937)

{{short description|Destroyer of the Soviet Navy}}

{|{{Infobox ship begin}}
{{Infobox ship image
|Ship image=Aerial view of Razumny A 22471.jpg
|Ship caption=Aerial view of [[sister ship]] {{ship|Soviet destroyer|Razumny|1939|2}}, March 1944
}}
{{Infobox ship career
|Hide header=
|Ship country=[[Soviet Union]]
|Ship flag={{shipboxflag|Soviet Union|naval}}
|Ship name=''Gromky'' ({{lang|ru|Громкий}} (Loud))
|Ship renamed=''OS-3'', 27 December 1956
|Ship ordered=[[Five-year plans for the national economy of the Soviet Union#Second plan, 1933–1937|2nd Five-Year Plan]]
|Ship builder=[[Severnaya Verf|Shipyard No. 190 (Zhdanov)]], [[Leningrad]]
|Ship laid down=29 April 1936
|Ship launched=6 December 1937
|Ship struck=17 February 1956
|Ship reclassified=As a test ship, 27 December 1956
|Ship completed= 31 December 1938
|Ship commissioned=
|Ship fate=Sunk after a nuclear test, 10 October 1957
|Ship honors=[[Order of the Red Banner]], 6 March 1945
}}
{{Infobox ship characteristics
|Hide header=
|Header caption= (''Gnevny'' as completed, 1938)
|Ship class= {{sclass|Gnevny|destroyer}}
|Ship displacement={{cvt|1612|t|LT|lk=on}} ([[Displacement (ship)#Standard displacement|standard]])
|Ship length= {{cvt|112.8|m|ftin}} ([[o/a]])
|Ship beam={{cvt|10.2|m|ftin}}
|Ship draft={{cvt|4.8|m|ftin}}
|Ship propulsion=*2 shafts; 2 geared [[steam turbine]]s
|Ship speed= {{convert|38|kn|lk=in}}
|Ship range={{cvt|2720|nmi|lk=in}} at {{convert|19|kn}}
|Ship power=*3 [[water-tube boiler]]s
*{{cvt|48000|shp|kW|lk=on}}
|Ship complement=197 (236 wartime)
|Ship sensors=Mars [[hydrophone]]
|Ship armament=*4 × single [[130 mm/50 B13 Pattern 1936|{{cvt|130|mm}} guns]]
*2 × single [[76.2 mm anti-aircraft gun Model 1935 (34-K)|{{cvt|76.2|mm|0}}]] [[AA gun]]s
*2 × single [[45 mm anti-aircraft gun (21-K)|{{cvt|45|mm}}]] AA guns
*2 × single [[DShK|{{cvt|12.7|mm}}]] [[anti-aircraft machinegun|AA machineguns]]
*2 × triple {{cvt|533|mm|0}} [[torpedo tube]]s
*60–96 [[Naval mine|mine]]s
*2 × [[depth charge]] racks, 25 depth charges
|Ship notes=
}}
|}
'''''Gromky''''' ({{langx|ru|Громкий|lit=Loud}}) was one of 29 {{sclass|Gnevny|destroyer}}s (officially known as [[List of ships of Russia by project number|Project 7]]) built for the [[Soviet Navy]] during the late 1930s.  Completed in 1938, the ship was initially assigned to the [[Baltic Fleet]] before being transferred to the [[Northern Fleet]] in mid-1939 where she played a minor role in the 1939–1940 [[Winter War]] against [[Finland]].

After the start of the [[Operation Barbarossa|German invasion of the Soviet Union]] (Operation Barbarossa) in June 1941, ''Gromky'' covered an amphibious landing along the Arctic coast and laid several [[minefield]]s. The ship spent most of her service escorting the [[Arctic convoys of World War II|Arctic Convoys]], run by the British to provide weapons and supplies to the Soviets, or providing [[naval gunfire support]] to Soviet troops along the Arctic coast. She ran out of fuel during one escort mission in early 1942 and had to be rescued. A few months later a storm nearly ripped her [[bow (ship)|bow]] off. Later that year ''Gromky'' helped to rescue crewmen from one of her [[sister ship]]s after it had broken in half during heavy weather in 1942. She also was badly damaged by the storm and spent several months under repair. The ship resumed her convoy escort duties until October 1944 when she provided fire support during the [[Petsamo–Kirkenes Offensive]]. ''Gromky'' was mostly inactive after that until the end of the war. After a lengthy modernization that lasted from 1948 to 1954, she was reclassified as a test ship in 1956 and was expended in a nuclear test the following year.

==Design and description==
Having decided on the specifications of the large {{convert|40|kn|lk=in|adj=on}} {{sclass|Leningrad|destroyer|0}} [[flotilla leader|destroyer leader]]s, the Soviet Navy sought Italian assistance in designing smaller and cheaper destroyers. They licensed the plans for the {{sclass|Folgore|destroyer|4}} and, in modifying it for their purposes, overloaded a design that was already somewhat marginally [[ship stability|stable]].<ref>Yakubov & Worth, pp. 99, 102–103</ref>

The ''Gnevny''s had an [[length overall|overall length]] of {{convert|112.8|m|ftin|sp=us}}, a [[beam (nautical)|beam]] of {{convert|10.2|m|ftin|sp=us}}, and a [[draft (hull)|draft]] of {{convert|4.8|m|ftin|sp=us}} at [[deep load]]. The ships were significantly overweight, almost {{convert|200|MT|LT|0|lk=on}} heavier than designed, displacing {{convert|1612|MT|LT}} at [[Displacement (ship)#Standard displacement|standard load]] and {{convert|2039|MT|LT}} at deep load. Their crew numbered 197 officers and sailors in peacetime and 236 in wartime.<ref>Yakubov & Worth, p. 101</ref> The ships had a pair of geared [[steam turbine]]s, each driving one propeller, rated to produce {{convert|48000|shp|lk=on}} using steam from three [[water-tube boiler]]s which was intended to give them a maximum speed of {{convert|37|kn}}.<ref>Budzbon, p. 330</ref> The designers had been conservative in rating the turbines and many, but not all, of the ships handily exceeded their designed speed during their [[sea trial]]s. Others fell considerably short of it, although specific figures for most individual ships have not survived. Variations in [[fuel oil]] capacity meant that the range of the ''Gnevny''s varied between {{convert|1670|to|3145|nmi|lk=in}} at {{convert|19|kn}}.<ref>Yakubov & Worth, pp. 101, 106–107</ref>

As built, the ''Gnevny''-class ships mounted four [[130 mm/50 B13 Pattern 1936|{{convert|130|mm|in|adj=on|sp=us}} B-13 guns]] in two pairs of [[superfiring]] single mounts fore and aft of the [[superstructure]]. [[Anti-aircraft warfare|Anti-aircraft defense]] was provided by a pair of [[76.2 mm anti-aircraft gun Model 1935 (34-K)|{{convert|76.2|mm|adj=on|sp=us|0}} 34-K]] [[AA gun]]s in single mounts and a pair of [[45 mm anti-aircraft gun (21-K)|{{convert|45|mm|adj=on|sp=us}} 21-K]] AA guns<ref>Hill, p. 40</ref> as well as two {{convert|12.7|mm|adj=on|sp=us}} [[DShK|DK or DShK]] [[machine gun]]s. They carried six {{cvt|533|mm|in}} [[torpedo tube]]s in two rotating triple mounts; each tube was provided with a reload. The ships could also carry a maximum of either 60 or 95 [[naval mine|mines]] and 25 [[depth charge]]s. They were fitted with a set of Mars [[hydrophone]]s for [[anti-submarine warfare|anti-submarine work]], although they were useless at speeds over {{convert|3|kn}}.<ref>Yakubov & Worth, pp. 101, 105–106</ref> The ships were equipped with two K-1 [[Paravane (weapon)|paravanes]] intended to destroy mines and a pair of depth-charge throwers.<ref>Berezhnoy, p. 335</ref>

===Modifications===
At some point between 1942 and 1945, ''Gromky'' had her 21-K guns replaced by three [[37 mm automatic air defense gun M1939 (61-K)|{{convert|37|mm|adj=on|sp=us}} 70-K]] AA guns in single mounts and three twin-gun mounts for [[Lend-Lease]], water-cooled [[M1921 Browning machine gun|12.7&nbsp;mm Colt-Browning]] machine guns and two single mounts for improved DShK machine guns. By the end of the war, she had received a British [[ASDIC]] system and a Soviet [[Gyuys radar|Gyuys-1]] [[early-warning radar]]. After the war, all of her AA guns were replaced by eight water-cooled V-11M versions of the 70-K gun in twin mounts and her electronics were replaced by Soviet systems.<ref>Hill, p. 36; Yakubov & Worth, pp. 105–106</ref>

== Construction and service ==
Built in [[Leningrad]]'s [[Severnaya Verf|Shipyard No. 190 (Zhdanov)]] as [[yard number]] 503, ''Gromky'' was [[laid down]] on 29 April 1936, [[Ceremonial ship launching|launched]] on 6 December 1937, and was completed on 31 December 1938. The ship was assigned to the Baltic Fleet before she was transferred to the Northern Fleet via the [[White Sea Canal]] in early 1939.<ref>Rohwer & Monakov, p. 233; Yakubov & Worth, p. 107</ref> During the Winter War, her only action was to help to cover the laying of a [[minefield]] off [[Pechenga (urban-type settlement), Murmansk Oblast|Petsamo]] with her [[sister ship]] {{ship|Soviet destroyer|Grozny|1936|2}} on 2–3 January 1940.<ref>Rohwer, p. 13</ref>

When [[Operation Barbarossa]], the German invasion of the Soviet Union, began on 22 June 1941, the ship was based in Polyarny. Together with her sisters {{ship|Soviet destroyer|Stremitelny|1937|2}} and {{ship|Soviet destroyer|Gremyashchy|1937|2}}, ''Gromky'' covered the landing of troops on the western side of the mouth of the [[Zapadnaya Litsa River]] on 14 July during [[Operation Platinum Fox]], the German attempt to capture [[Murmansk]]. On 10–15 September, ''Gromky'' and her sisters in the 1st Destroyer Division (''Gremyashchy'', {{ship|Soviet destroyer|Sokrushitelny|1937|2}} and {{ship|Soviet destroyer|Grozny|1936|2}}) laid a pair of minefields off the [[Rybachy Peninsula]] using British mines delivered by the [[minelayer]] {{HMS|Adventure|M23|6}}. From 20 to 29 October, ''Gromky''  bombarded German positions near the [[Zapadnaya Litsa River]] with a total of 1,251 shells from her 130&nbsp;mm guns. On 14 November, ''Gromky'' and ''Gremyashchy'' rendezvoused with a British light cruiser and a pair of destroyers to bombarded German-occupied [[Vardø (town)|Vardø]], [[Norway]], and then met up with [[Convoy PQ 3]] to escort it to [[Arkhangelsk]]. ''Gromky'' shelled German troops near the Zapadnaya Litsa River again on 19 November with 103 [[Cartridge (firearms)|rounds]]. ''Gromky'', ''Gremyashchy'' and the same three British ships made an unsuccessful search for German ships off the Norwegian coast and then bombarded Vardø again on 24–25 November, during which ''Gromky'' expended 112 shells from her main guns. She returned to the Litsa on 30 December and fired 100 rounds at German positions, before starting a refit on 2 January 1942 that lasted until 2 February.<ref>Platonov, p. 177; Rohwer, pp. 86, 99, 114, 118</ref>

After refitting in January 1942, ''Grozny'', together with ''Gromky'', escorted the [[light cruiser]] {{HMS|Nigeria|60|6}} to rendezvous with [[Convoy PQ 11]] on 20 February, but the destroyers were forced to return to port because of a strong storm. It frustrated a subsequent attempts two days later, but they were finally able to meet the convoy that evening. ''Gromky'' helped to escort [[Convoy QP 8]] on 1–4 March, but ran out of fuel the following day as she was headed for port in heavy weather that washed four crewmen overboard. ''Grozny'' was the first ship to reach the destroyer which was successfully refueled and subsequently reached port. On 30 March, ''Gromky'' escorted the badly damaged light cruiser {{HMS|Trinidad|46|6}} and the destroyer {{HMS|Eclipse|H08|6}} into [[Kola Bay]]. At the beginning of May, the ship provided naval gunfire support to Soviet troops, firing a total of 446 shells on 1 and 3 May. While returning from one such mission during a [[Beaufort scale|Force 8]] storm on 6 May, cracks developed on the deck and sides of her [[bow (ship)|bow]] and the ship was only able to make a speed of {{convert|4|kn}} in the heavy weather. ''Gromky'' reached struggled to reach Murmansk where an inspection revealed that only the ship's [[keel]] held her bow in place. After temporary repairs were completed, she arrived in [[Molotovsk]] on 20 June to begin permanent repairs.<ref>Platonov, pp. 177–178; Rohwer, pp. 141, 149; Yakubov & Worth, p. 103</ref>

After the repairs were completed on 9 October and [[Glossary of nautical terms (M-Z)#working up|working up]], ''Gromky'' put to sea on 22 November and rescued some of ''Sokrushitelny''{{'}}s crew after that ship had broken in half and sunk during a bad storm; ''Gromky''{{'}}s hull was damaged by the search and she returned to port two days later. Her repairs began on 29 November and lasted until 25 January 1943. In early February, the ship escorted convoys between Murmansk and the White Sea. On 26 February, she rendezvoused with [[Convoy JW 53]] and escorted the bulk of it into Kola Bay. Together with the [[flotilla leader|destroyer leader]] {{ship|Soviet destroyer|Baku||2}} and ''Grozny'', ''Gromky'' unsuccessfully attempted to intercept German supply ships along the coast of Norway on 27–28 and 30–31 March. She helped to escort five Allied [[cargo ship]]s from Murmansk to Arkhangelsk on 17–18 May before beginning repairs on 18 June that lasted until 10 September. Together with ''Gremyashchy'' and the minesweeper {{HMS|Britomart|J22|6}}, ''Gromky'' escorted a pair of Allied cargo ships from Murmansk to Arkhangelsk on 29 September–2 October. While escorting a Soviet convoy on 12 October, the transport {{SS|Maria Raskova}}'s steering gear failed in a storm and ''Gremyashchy'' took her in tow. She was still uncontrollable and ''Gromky'' passed a cable from her bow to ''Maria Raskova''{{'}}s stern to steady her. Two days later, the cable snapped, but a new one was rigged shortly afterwards. That night the new cable snapped, but the remaining piece of the cable hung down off the stern and dragged along the seafloor which steadied the ship so another attempt to pass a cable was not made. On 22 October, ''Gromky'' helped to escort Soviet [[icebreaker]]s from the [[Kara Strait]] to the White Sea. The following month she was one of the escorts for [[Convoy RA 54|Convoys RA 54]], [[Convoy JW 54A|JW 54A]] and [[Convoy RA 55|RA 55]] before beginning a refit on 29 November. After it was completed on 12 December. ''Gromky'' escorted [[Convoy JW 55A]] on 21–22 December.<ref>Platonov, p. 178; Rohwer, pp. 232, 239–240, 252, 279, 282</ref>

Another attempt by ''Gromky'' and three other destroyers to intercept German supply ships off the Norwegian coast on 20–22 January 1944 was unsuccessful. She rendezvoused with [[Convoy JW 56A]] on 26 January and helped to escort it into Kola Bay. ''Gromky'' was one of the escorts for ships from [[Convoy JW 56A]] 27–29 January and then she escorted [[Convoy RA 56]] outbound from Murmansk on 3–4 March. While escorting a convoy from Murmansk to Archangelsk on 8 March, ''Gromky'' claimed to have damaged a German submarine, although that engagement cannot be confirmed from German records. The ship then escorted a Soviet convoy in the opposite direction on 7 April so that the ships could join [[Convoy RA 58]]. She then spent the next several months escorting convoys in the White and Barents Seas. ''Gromky'' escorted [[Convoy JW 59]] on 24–26 August and then resumed escort duties for local convoys. On 9–11 October the ship provided gunfire support to Soviet troops during the Petsamo–Kirkenes Offensive, firing 715 rounds during those three days. She was refitted from the end of October to the end of the year and was inactive for the rest of the war. ''Gromky'' was awarded the Order of the Red Banner on 6 March.<ref>Platonov, p. 179; Rohwer, pp. 300–301, 311, 320</ref>

After the war, the ship received a lengthy modernization that last from 27 March 1948 to 31 December 1954. ''Gromky'' was reclassified as test ship ''OS-3'' on 27 December 1956 and was used as a target during a nuclear test on [[1957 Soviet nuclear tests|7 September 1957]] on Novaya Zemlya. The ship sank there on 10 October.<ref>Yakubov & Worth, p. 108</ref>

==Citations==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==Sources==
*{{Cite book|title=Крейсера и миноносцы. Справочник|last=Berezhnoy|first=Sergey|publisher=Voenizdat|year=2002|isbn=5-203-01780-8|location=Moscow|language=ru|trans-title=Guide to Cruisers and Destroyers}}
*{{cite book|title=Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1922–1946|editor-last=Chesneau|publisher=Conway Maritime Press|location=Greenwich, UK|year=1980|isbn=0-85177-146-7|last=Budzbon|first=Przemysaw|pages=318–346|chapter=Soviet Union|editor-first=Roger}}
* {{cite book | last = Hill | first = Alexander | year = 2018 | title = Soviet Destroyers of World War II | place = Oxford, UK| publisher = Osprey Publishing| isbn = 978-1-4728-2256-7|series=New Vanguard|volume=256}}
*{{cite book |last1=Platonov |first1=Andrey V.|title=Энциклопедия советских надводных кораблей 1941–1945 |trans-title=Encyclopedia of Soviet Surface Ships 1941–1945 |date=2002 |publisher=Poligon |location=Saint Petersburg |isbn=5-89173-178-9 |language=ru}}
* {{cite book|last=Rohwer|first=Jürgen|title=Chronology of the War at Sea 1939–1945: The Naval History of World War Two|publisher=Naval Institute Press|location=Annapolis, Maryland|year=2005|edition=Third Revised|isbn=1-59114-119-2|author-link=Jürgen Rohwer}}
*{{cite book|last1=Rohwer|first1=Jürgen|last2=Monakov|first2=Mikhail S.|title=Stalin's Ocean-Going Fleet|publisher=Frank Cass|location=London|year=2001|isbn=0-7146-4895-7|name-list-style=amp}}
* {{cite book|last1=Yakubov|first1=Vladimir|last2=Worth |first2=Richard |chapter=The Soviet Project 7/7U Destroyers|editor1-last=Jordan |editor1-first=John |editor2-last=Dent |editor2-first=Stephen |publisher=Conway|location=London|year=2008|title=Warship 2008|pages=99–114|isbn=978-1-84486-062-3|name-list-style=amp}}

==Further reading==
*{{Cite book|title=Легендарные "семёрки" Эсминцы "сталинской" серии|last=Balakin|first=Sergey|publisher=Yauza/Eksmo|year=2007|isbn=978-5-699-23784-5|location=Moscow|language=ru|trans-title=Legendary Sevens: Stalin's destroyer series}}
* {{cite book|last=Whitley|first=M. J.|title=Destroyers of World War 2|publisher=Naval Institute Press|location=Annapolis, Maryland|year=1988|isbn=0-87021-326-1}}

{{Gnevny-class destroyer}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Gromky (1937)}}
[[Category:Gnevny-class destroyers]]
[[Category:1937 ships]]
[[Category:Ships built at Severnaya Verf]]
[[Category:Military units and formations awarded the Order of the Red Banner]]
[[Category:Cold War destroyers of the Soviet Union]]