The USS Cassin Young is one of four remaining Fletcher-class destroyers still afloat. Credit: Boston National Historical Park Get the Popular Science daily newsletter💡 Breakthroughs, discoveries, and DIY tips sent six days a week. The USS Cassin Young at sea in 1944. Credit: CPhoM Paul Madden, USN / Navsource.org / Public Domain The heavily armed Fletcher -class destroyer is an iconic piece of United States naval history . Although its name may not sound immediately familiar, the over 360-foot-long ship’s recognizable silhouette remains a hallmark example of World War II imagery. The 175 Fletcher -class vessels commissioned between 1942 and 1944 helped secure a victory over Axis forces, with some remaining in service through the Korean and Vietnam wars. Only four of the destroyers remain afloat today, making it difficult for most people to see the historic vessels firsthand.…