Modernization, not inherent inferiority, separated old destroyers

Why were American Clemson- and Wickes-class destroyers inferior to British V- and W-class ships of similar vintage?

The classes were broadly comparable; the difference was that Britain invested more in upgrading V- and W-class destroyers while using transferred American ships mainly to fill urgent gaps.

The four-stack American destroyers were not inherently inferior. The Royal Navy had plans for continued V- and W-class service and spent more money modernizing those ships. Clemson- and Wickes-class vessels acquired in wartime were instead plugged into immediate force gaps, so their condition and capabilities reflected a different investment history.