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USS Lea (DD-118)
Encyclopedia
USS Lea (DD-118) was a Wickes-class
destroyer
in the United States Navy
during World War I
and World War II
. She was named in honor of Edward Lea
, a US Navy officer killed during the Civil War
.
Lea was laid down 18 September 1917 by William Cramp & Sons, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
; launched 29 April 1918; sponsored by Mrs. Harry E. Collins; and commissioned 2 October 1918, Lieutenant Commander
Willis Augustus Lee in command.
with DesRon 19 during 1919, Lea transferred to the Pacific Fleet
in 1920 and served primarily along the west coast during the years between the wars. She was out of commission at San Diego 22 June 1922 to 1 May 1930, and 7 April 1937 to 30 September 1939. With Lieutenant Commander F. W. Slaven in command, she sailed for the east coast to join the neutrality patrol, guarding the western Atlantic through the tense months before America’s entry into World War II. She served in the force guarding transports carrying marines for the occupation of Iceland
8 July 1941.
, and along the eastern seaboard, hazarded by peak U-boat
activity and dangerous weather conditions. She rescued survivors from stricken merchantmen as well as fighting off submarines and joining in several successful attacks.
The first of her many wartime rescues at sea came in February 1942, when she took on board the crew of Soviet
merchantman Dvinoles, abandoned after collision damage. Later that month, 24 February, came a daylong battle with submarine
s when Lea and sister escorts again and again dashed out from their convoy screen to keep down attacking U-boats which had sunk four of the merchantmen.
Between 22 April 1943 and 30 May, Lea joined the hunter-killer group formed around in the first mission of such a group. On 21 May and 22 May, the Bogue aircraft became the first to engage a wolfpack attempting to rendezvous for a mass attack on a convoy. So successful were their six attacks in protecting the convoy that the group was awarded the Presidential Unit Citation in which Lea shared.
and later Boston, she completed repairs 28 June 1944, and began sailing from Newport
as target ship
for torpedo planes and escorting carriers during flight training. Between January 1945 and June, she had similar duty off Florida
. Arriving Philadelphia
14 June, she decommissioned there 20 July 1945; was struck from the Navy Register
13 August 1945; and sold for scrapping to Boston Metals Salvage Company, Baltimore, 30 November 1945.
As of 2004, no other ships in the United States Navy have borne this name.
Wickes class destroyer
The Wickes-class destroyers were a group of 111 destroyers built by the United States Navy in 1917-1919. Along with the 6 preceding Caldwell class and 155 subsequent Clemson-class destroyers, they formed the "flush-deck" or "four-stack" class. Only a few were completed in time to serve in World...
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...
during 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...
and World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. She was named in honor of Edward Lea
Edward Lea
Edward Lea , was an officer in the United States Navy during the American Civil War. He was mortally wounded at the Battle of Galveston and died in the arms of his father, who was on the opposing side in the conflict....
, a US Navy officer killed during the Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
.
Lea was laid down 18 September 1917 by William Cramp & Sons, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Philadelphia County, with which it is coterminous. The city is located in the Northeastern United States along the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. It is the fifth-most-populous city in the United States,...
; launched 29 April 1918; sponsored by Mrs. Harry E. Collins; and commissioned 2 October 1918, 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...
Willis Augustus Lee in command.
Service history
After service in the AtlanticAtlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
with DesRon 19 during 1919, Lea transferred to the Pacific Fleet
United States Pacific Fleet
The United States Pacific Fleet is a Pacific Ocean theater-level component command of the United States Navy that provides naval resources under the operational control of the United States Pacific Command. Its home port is at Pearl Harbor Naval Base, Hawaii. It is commanded by Admiral Patrick M...
in 1920 and served primarily along the west coast during the years between the wars. She was out of commission at San Diego 22 June 1922 to 1 May 1930, and 7 April 1937 to 30 September 1939. With Lieutenant Commander F. W. Slaven in command, she sailed for the east coast to join the neutrality patrol, guarding the western Atlantic through the tense months before America’s entry into World War II. She served in the force guarding transports carrying marines for the occupation of Iceland
Iceland
Iceland , described as the Republic of Iceland, is a Nordic and European island country in the North Atlantic Ocean, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Iceland also refers to the main island of the country, which contains almost all the population and almost all the land area. The country has a population...
8 July 1941.
World War II
For the first 2 1⁄2 years of U.S. participation in the war, Lea had convoy escort duty in the North Atlantic, the CaribbeanCaribbean
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...
, and along the eastern seaboard, hazarded by peak U-boat
U-boat
U-boat is the anglicized version of the German word U-Boot , itself an abbreviation of Unterseeboot , and refers to military submarines operated by Germany, particularly in World War I and World War II...
activity and dangerous weather conditions. She rescued survivors from stricken merchantmen as well as fighting off submarines and joining in several successful attacks.
The first of her many wartime rescues at sea came in February 1942, when she took on board the crew of Soviet
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
merchantman Dvinoles, abandoned after collision damage. Later that month, 24 February, came a daylong battle with submarine
Submarine
A submarine is a watercraft capable of independent operation below the surface of the water. It differs from a submersible, which has more limited underwater capability...
s when Lea and sister escorts again and again dashed out from their convoy screen to keep down attacking U-boats which had sunk four of the merchantmen.
Convoys escorted
| Convoy | Escort Group | Dates | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| task force 19 | 1-7 July 1941 | occupation of Iceland prior to US declaration of war | |
| HX 153 HX convoys The HX convoys were a series of North Atlantic convoys which ran during the Battle of the Atlantic in World War II. They were east-bound convoys and originated in Halifax, Nova Scotia from where they sailed to ports in the United Kingdom... |
7-13 Oct 1941 | from Newfoundland Dominion of Newfoundland The Dominion of Newfoundland was a British Dominion from 1907 to 1949 . The Dominion of Newfoundland was situated in northeastern North America along the Atlantic coast and comprised the island of Newfoundland and Labrador on the continental mainland... to Iceland Iceland Iceland , described as the Republic of Iceland, is a Nordic and European island country in the North Atlantic Ocean, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Iceland also refers to the main island of the country, which contains almost all the population and almost all the land area. The country has a population... prior to US declaration of war |
|
| ON 28 ON convoys The ON convoys were a series of North Atlantic trade convoys running Outbound from the British Isles to North America during the Battle of the Atlantic .-History:... |
25-30 Oct 1941 | from Iceland to Newfoundland prior to US declaration of war | |
| HX 161 HX convoys The HX convoys were a series of North Atlantic convoys which ran during the Battle of the Atlantic in World War II. They were east-bound convoys and originated in Halifax, Nova Scotia from where they sailed to ports in the United Kingdom... |
23 Nov-3 Dec 1941 | from Newfoundland to Iceland prior to US declaration of war | |
| HX 173 HX convoys The HX convoys were a series of North Atlantic convoys which ran during the Battle of the Atlantic in World War II. They were east-bound convoys and originated in Halifax, Nova Scotia from where they sailed to ports in the United Kingdom... |
3-10 Feb 1942 | from Newfoundland to Iceland | |
| ON 67 Convoy ON 67 Convoy ON-67 was a trade convoy of merchant ships during the second World War. It was the 67th of the numbered series of ON convoys Outbound from the British Isles to North America... |
19-28 Feb 1942 | from Iceland to Newfoundland |
Auxilliary Service
On 31 December 1943, Lea was 5 days out of New York on convoy escort duty when she was rammed by a merchantman. Towed to BermudaBermuda
Bermuda is a British overseas territory in the North Atlantic Ocean. Located off the east coast of the United States, its nearest landmass is Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, about to the west-northwest. It is about south of Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, and northeast of Miami, Florida...
and later Boston, she completed repairs 28 June 1944, and began sailing from Newport
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...
as target ship
Target ship
A target ship is a vessel — typically an obsolete or captured warship — used for naval gunnery practice or for weapons testing.-Rationale:Sinking redundant warships is an effective way of testing new weapons and warships in as realistic a manner as possible. Whilst practice torpedoes are fired...
for torpedo planes and escorting carriers during flight training. Between January 1945 and June, she had similar duty off Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
. Arriving Philadelphia
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Philadelphia County, with which it is coterminous. The city is located in the Northeastern United States along the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. It is the fifth-most-populous city in the United States,...
14 June, she decommissioned there 20 July 1945; was struck from the Navy Register
Naval Vessel Register
The Naval Vessel Register is the official inventory of ships and service craft in custody of or titled by the United States Navy. It contains information on ships and service craft that make up the official inventory of the Navy from the time a vessel is authorized through its life cycle and...
13 August 1945; and sold for scrapping to Boston Metals Salvage Company, Baltimore, 30 November 1945.
Awards
Lea received three battle stars for World War II service.As of 2004, no other ships in the United States Navy have borne this name.