USS Drayton (DD-23)
Encyclopedia
USS Drayton (DD-23) was a Paulding-class
destroyer
in the United States Navy
. She was the first ship named for Captain
Percival Drayton
.
Drayton was launched on 22 August 1910 by Bath Iron Works
, Bath, Maine
, sponsored by Miss E. G. Drayton, niece of Captain Drayton, and commissioned on 29 October 1910, Lieutenant Commander
H. C. Dinger in command.
on 21 December 1910, to cruise in Cuba
n waters and on the east coast in exercises and development problems. She sailed from Key West on 9 April 1914 to serve on blockade duty off Mexico
and take refugees out of the troubled areas, returning to New York on 1 June, and to Newport on 1 August.
and conducted torpedo and gunnery exercises out of Newport, Rhode Island
and in the Caribbean
. Calling at Jacksonville, Florida
from 5-11 April 1917, she took over the German
steamer Frieda Leonhardt and interned her crew in accordance with a Presidential proclamation issued upon American entry into World War I
. Drayton arrived at Norfolk, Virginia
on 12 April, and the next day reported for duty with the Patrol Force off the east coast serving until 4 May, when she entered Boston Navy Yard
to fit out for distant service.
Drayton departed Boston, Massachusetts on 21 May, and sailed by way of St. John's, Newfoundland to Queenstown, Ireland, arriving on 1 June. She patrolled along the coast of Ireland
, escorting both inbound and outbound ships. On 20 June, she searched for the submarine which had torpedoed , then rescued 42 survivors who were landed at Bantry, Ireland. From 26 June-4 July, she escorted a transport convoy to St. Nazaire and took part in a submarine hunt with two French
cruiser
s. On 15 December, with , she picked up the survivors of , 39 in all.
Transferred to Brest
and United States Naval Forces Operating in European Waters, Drayton left Queenstown on 15 February 1918. She continued her escort and antisubmarine operations out of this port until 16 December, when she sailed for the United States, arriving at Boston on 2 January 1919 for overhaul. Drayton cruised along the east coast on various exercises and maneuvers until 18 July, when she reported to Philadelphia Navy Yard in company with seven other destroyers destined for decommissioning.
Drayton was decommissioned on 17 November. On 1 July 1933, her name was dropped and she was known as DD-23 until sold on 28 June 1935.
Paulding class destroyer
The Paulding-class destroyers were a modification of the Smith-class. The newer class burned oil rather than coal, lightening the ships and making them faster....
destroyer
Destroyer
In naval terminology, a destroyer is a fast and maneuverable yet long-endurance warship intended to escort larger vessels in a fleet, convoy or battle group and defend them against smaller, powerful, short-range attackers. Destroyers, originally called torpedo-boat destroyers in 1892, evolved from...
in the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
. She was the first ship named for Captain
Captain (naval)
Captain is the name most often given in English-speaking navies to the rank corresponding to command of the largest ships. The NATO rank code is OF-5, equivalent to an army full colonel....
Percival Drayton
Percival Drayton
Percival Drayton was a United States Navy officer during the American Civil War.-Biography:Born in Charleston, South Carolina, Drayton was the son of a prominent lawyer William Drayton who eventually relocated to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania...
.
Drayton was launched on 22 August 1910 by Bath Iron Works
Bath Iron Works
Bath Iron Works is a major American shipyard located on the Kennebec River in Bath, Maine, United States. Since its founding in 1884 , BIW has built private, commercial and military vessels, most of which have been ordered by the United States Navy...
, Bath, Maine
Bath, Maine
Bath is a city in Sagadahoc County, Maine, in the United States. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 9,266. It is the county seat of Sagadahoc County. Located on the Kennebec River, Bath is a port of entry with a good harbor. The city is popular with tourists, many drawn by its...
, sponsored by Miss E. G. Drayton, niece of Captain Drayton, and commissioned on 29 October 1910, Lieutenant Commander
Lieutenant Commander
Lieutenant Commander is a commissioned officer rank in many navies. The rank is superior to a lieutenant and subordinate to a commander...
H. C. Dinger in command.
Pre-World War I
Drayton arrived at Key West, FloridaKey West, Florida
Key West is a city in Monroe County, Florida, United States. The city encompasses the island of Key West, the part of Stock Island north of U.S. 1 , Sigsbee Park , Fleming Key , and Sunset Key...
on 21 December 1910, to cruise in Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
n waters and on the east coast in exercises and development problems. She sailed from Key West on 9 April 1914 to serve on blockade duty off Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
and take refugees out of the troubled areas, returning to New York on 1 June, and to Newport on 1 August.
World War I
Drayton served on neutrality patrolNeutrality Patrol
At the beginning of World War II, when Nazi Germany's invasion of Poland on 1 September 1939 started the hostilities in Europe, President Franklin D...
and conducted torpedo and gunnery exercises out of Newport, Rhode Island
Newport, Rhode Island
Newport is a city on Aquidneck Island in Newport County, Rhode Island, United States, about south of Providence. Known as a New England summer resort and for the famous Newport Mansions, it is the home of Salve Regina University and Naval Station Newport which houses the United States Naval War...
and in the Caribbean
Caribbean
The Caribbean is a crescent-shaped group of islands more than 2,000 miles long separating the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, to the west and south, from the Atlantic Ocean, to the east and north...
. Calling at Jacksonville, Florida
Jacksonville, Florida
Jacksonville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Florida in terms of both population and land area, and the largest city by area in the contiguous United States. It is the county seat of Duval County, with which the city government consolidated in 1968...
from 5-11 April 1917, she took over the German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
steamer Frieda Leonhardt and interned her crew in accordance with a Presidential proclamation issued upon American entry into World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. Drayton arrived at Norfolk, Virginia
Norfolk, Virginia
Norfolk is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. With a population of 242,803 as of the 2010 Census, it is Virginia's second-largest city behind neighboring Virginia Beach....
on 12 April, and the next day reported for duty with the Patrol Force off the east coast serving until 4 May, when she entered Boston Navy Yard
Boston Navy Yard
The Boston Navy Yard, originally called the Charlestown Navy Yard and later Boston Naval Shipyard, was one of the oldest shipbuilding facilities in the United States Navy. Established in 1801, it was officially closed as an active naval installation on July 1, 1974, and the property was...
to fit out for distant service.
Drayton departed Boston, Massachusetts on 21 May, and sailed by way of St. John's, Newfoundland to Queenstown, Ireland, arriving on 1 June. She patrolled along the coast of Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
, escorting both inbound and outbound ships. On 20 June, she searched for the submarine which had torpedoed , then rescued 42 survivors who were landed at Bantry, Ireland. From 26 June-4 July, she escorted a transport convoy to St. Nazaire and took part in a submarine hunt with two French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
cruiser
Cruiser
A cruiser is a type of warship. The term has been in use for several hundreds of years, and has had different meanings throughout this period...
s. On 15 December, with , she picked up the survivors of , 39 in all.
Transferred to Brest
Brest, France
Brest is a city in the Finistère department in Brittany in northwestern France. Located in a sheltered position not far from the western tip of the Breton peninsula, and the western extremity of metropolitan France, Brest is an important harbour and the second French military port after Toulon...
and United States Naval Forces Operating in European Waters, Drayton left Queenstown on 15 February 1918. She continued her escort and antisubmarine operations out of this port until 16 December, when she sailed for the United States, arriving at Boston on 2 January 1919 for overhaul. Drayton cruised along the east coast on various exercises and maneuvers until 18 July, when she reported to Philadelphia Navy Yard in company with seven other destroyers destined for decommissioning.
Drayton was decommissioned on 17 November. On 1 July 1933, her name was dropped and she was known as DD-23 until sold on 28 June 1935.