Leary's rigging comes in multiple pieces: two hull sections attached to each leg hold racks of depth charges, with the section on her left side also mounting her fire-control director and radar. Another section attaches to her back, splitting off and holding one smokestack and one five-inch gun mount to either side. Leary's damaged art shows this section also contains a platform at the small of her back for a twin Bofors 40 mm Gun mount. She carries a third five-inch gun mount in a separate slung weapon similar to the rest of the Fletcher class. Leary's rigging does not change between Base and Kai; rather, Base is colored in a camouflage paint scheme, while Leary Kai's rigging is colored in the Measure 22 paint scheme, with layers of red, blue, and grey color.
While a new Fletcher with some resemblance to Richard P. Leary's design (and wearing a yellow bikini almost identical to what would later be revealed as Leary's swimsuit skin) was teased by Zeco in the 2024 Kancolle Calendar, Leary's first true introduction was during the 12th Anniversary Lawson collaboration during the Spring 2025 Event. She made it into the game proper once that event had come to a close.
She is named after a naval officer and rear Admiral who served from the American Civil War through the Spanish-American War. Like her sister ship the Heywood L. Edwards, Leary survived World War II and was transferred to be a vessel in the new Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force, where she was given the name Yūgure. The vessel was returned to the United States in 1974, and scrapped two years later.
Designed by Zeco, and first made available in-game in May, 2025.
