SINCE THE BEGINNING OF THE 20TH CENTURY, DESTROYERS HAVE BEEN ALL-PURPOSE SHIPS, INDISPENSABLE IN ROLES LARGE AND SMALL - FROM PASSING THE MAIL AT SEA TO SCREENING LARGER SHIPS, AND, WHERE LARGER SHIPS WERE NOT PRESENT, FORMING THE FRONTLINE IN BATTLE. THIS FIRST OF TWO TITLES ON US DESTROYERS DETAILS THE 169 SHIPS OF TEN CLASSES INTRODUCED IN THE 1930S, AND REVEALS THE DESIGN STORY BEHIND THESE CRUCIAL WARTIME VESSELS - FROM THE CONFINES AND CONSTRAINTS OF PEACETIME TREATIES TO WARTIME MODIFICATIONS.