USS Lea (DD-118)

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.

Service history
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.

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 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.



Between 22 April 1943 and 30 May, Lea joined the hunter-killer group formed around USS Bogue (CVE-9) 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.

Auxiliary 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 Bermuda 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.

Awards
Lea received three battle stars for World War II service.

As of 2013, no other ships in the United States Navy have borne this name.