Congress could authorize ships without supplying the money to build them for years. The first 25 Fletchers were authorized under the Vinson-Trammell Act of 1934, with construction delayed until 1941. That chronology illustrates the distinction between an approved building program and a funded one. When the ships finally arrived, they filled an accumulated shortage in fleet numbers. They served a similar numerical role to the earlier Clemson and Wickes construction programs.
Notable Point · 7:03-8:03
An authorization backlog did not immediately produce ships
The first 25 Fletchers were authorized in 1934 and laid down in 1941, illustrating the gap between approval and funding.