Some Sumners were cancelled as ordinary destroyers and turned into Robert H. Smith-class minelayers. The specialized ships could carry eighty mines. They lacked torpedo tubes but retained six 5-inch/38 guns and twelve 40 mm Bofors. The result preserved substantial destroyer gun armament while providing a different fleet capability.
Notable Point · 36:49-39:12
Robert H. Smith ships adapted the Sumner for minelaying
Redirected Sumner construction produced destroyer minelayers that retained the gun armament while exchanging torpedoes for a mine-carrying role.