The Robert H. Smith class of destroyer minelayers was built by the United States during World War II.

These vessels were all originally laid down as Allen M. Sumner-class destroyers and converted during construction in 1944.

In that time the United States produced twelve Robert H. Smith-class destroyer minelayers.

[2] None of the Robert H. Smith-class vessels ever laid a mine in wartime, though they were frequently employed in minesweeping.

As radar pickets at Okinawa, Aaron Ward, Lindsey, and J. William Ditter were damaged by kamikazes, and Shea by a Baka bomb.