USS Lea (DD-118)
_laying_smoke_screen_c1921.jpeg)
USS Lea (DD-118) laying a smoke screen, 1921
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| History | |
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 United States
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| Namesake: | Edward Lea |
| Builder: | William Cramp and Sons |
| Laid down: | 18 September 1917 |
| Launched: | 29 April 1918 |
| Commissioned: | 2 October 1918 |
| Decommissioned: | 20 July 1945 |
| Struck: | 13 August 1945 |
| Fate: | Sold, 30 November 1946 |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type: | Wickes class destroyer |
| Displacement: | 1,165 tons |
| Length: | 314 ft 4 in (95.81 m) |
| Beam: | 30 ft 11 in (9.42 m) |
| Draft: | 9 ft (2.74 m) |
| Speed: | 35 knots (65 km/h) |
| Complement: | 133 officers and enlisted |
| Armament: | 4 × 4" (102 mm); 2 × 3" (76 mm), 12 × 21" (533 mm) torpedo tubes |
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; launched 29 April 1918; sponsored by Mrs. Harry E. Collins; and commissioned 2 October 1918, Lieutenant Commander Willis Augustus Lee in command.
After service in the Atlantic 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.
For the first 2 1⁄2 years of U.S. participation in the war, Lea had convoy escort duty in the North Atlantic, the Caribbean, 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 submarines 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.
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