Forrest Sherman destroyers as adaptable general-purpose ships

What role did non-guided-missile Forrest Sherman-class destroyers play, and were they worth building?

Yes; they were useful general-purpose gun and escort ships that could be modernized for ASW as technology changed.

The class entered service with five-inch and three-inch guns, Hedgehog, and torpedo tubes during a period of rapidly changing naval technology. Later conversions added systems such as ASROC, demonstrating the value of an adaptable hull. Their size makes the destroyer label debatable by later standards, but their purpose was to perform lower-cost missions that did not require a top-end missile ship. The comparison with Erie-class gunboats underlines why navies need several ship types for different jobs.