A destroyer squadron is a naval squadron or flotilla usually consisting of destroyers rather than other types of vessel. In some navies other vessels, such as frigates, may be included. In English the word "squadron" tends to be used for larger and "flotilla" for smaller vessels; both may be used for destroyer units. Similar formations are used in non-English-speaking countries, e.g., the "escadrille"—which would translate directly as "squadron"—in France. Royal Navy The Royal Navy began to form units of destroyers after the introduction of 'torpedo boat destroyers' in the early 1900s though pre-World War Two they were usually designated flotillas. RN destroyer units are listed in the main article above examples of some destroyer squadrons below. 1st Destroyer Squadron, 1947-1970 2nd Destroyer Squadron, 1956-1971 3rd Destroyer Squadron, 1945-2001 4th Destroyer Squadron, 1948-1959 5th Destroyer Squadron, 1947-2002 US Navy The U.S. Navy acronym for a destroyer squadron is DESRON; it comprises three or more destroyers or frigates. It is not generally an operational unit, but is responsible for training, equipping and administering of its ships. A mixed unit including destroyers is the cruiser-destroyer group. The officer in command of DESRON SIX, for example, is designated Commander Destroyer Squadron Six, COMDESRON SIX for short. As during World War II, a full-strength DesRon (as it was abbreviated at the time) comprised two Destroyer Divisions or DesDivs of four ships each, plus a squadron flagship; these were operational as well as administrative units. In the late 1950s and through early 1962 a Squadron (Desron) comprised two four-ship Divisions (Desdivs) with one ship designated the flagship. The flagship carried the Squadron Commodore as well as the ship's Captain. The Squadron normally operated as a unit within a Task Group or Fleet, its main duty being as anti-submarine screen for the aircraft carriers. Often, however, the divisions of the squadron were assigned to separate duties—and sometimes two ship elements might be sent on individual assignments. The flagship not only carried the Commodore, it also carried the Squadron doctor and chaplain. From 1 April 1962, Cruiser-Destroyer forces in the Atlantic and Pacific Fleets were organized in Cruiser-Destroyer Flotillas (CRUDESFLOTs). These formations included Cruiser-Destroyer Flotilla One in the Pacific (included Parks), Cruiser-Destroyer Flotilla Three at Long Beach in the Pacific (commanded for a time by Rear Admiral Draper Kauffman), Cruiser-Destroyer Flotilla Two in the Atlantic (included ), Cruiser-Destroyer Flotilla Four in the Atlantic, which supplied ships for the