USS Craven (DD-70)
The USS Craven (DD-70) was one of six Caldwell-class destroyers. As the second ship to be named after Commander Tunis Craven, the USS Craven (DD-70) originally served in the United States Navy and then later served in the Royal Navy under the name HMS Lewes.
Construction
Sponsored by Mrs. F. Learned, who was the daughter of Commander Craven, Craven was launched on June 29, 1918 by the Norfolk Navy Yard. She went under the command of Lieutenant Commander M.B. McComb on October 19, 1918.
Naval History
After being commissioned, Craven engaged in maneuvers, training and torpedo practice on the east coast and in the Caribbean until May 3, 1919. At this time, she sailed from New York to Trepassey Bay in Newfoundland, where she served on a weather station. While in Newfoundland, Craven observed the flight of Navy seaplanes as they completed the first aerial crossing over the Atlantic. She later participated in Army gun tests, which took place in Fort Story, Virginia, and then performed recruiting duty at Fall River in Massachusetts, Hampton Roads in Virginia and Newport in Rhode Island.
Craven was placed in reserve on October 10, 1919 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. On February 10, 1921, she began duty in Charleston, South Carolina, where she transported liberty parties back and forth to Jacksonville, Florida. She also participated in fleet maneuvers in Narragansett Bay as well as off of Virginia. She was later placed on commission on June 15, 1922 until she was renamed Conway on November 12, 1939 in honor of William Conway.
On August 9, 1940, Craven was recommissioned, only to be decommissioned shortly after arriving in Halifax, Nova Scotia. On October 23, 1940, she was turned over to British authorities as part of the bases for destroyers exchange. She was then commissioned as the HMS Lewes (G68) after Lewes in East Sussex. She then started her journey to Belfast, Northern Ireland on November 1. She searched for Admiral Scheer during her nine day journey. Upon arriving in Plymouth, England, she was refitted and placed under the command of Commander-in-Chief, Plymouth.
The renamed Craven was damaged during enemy raids that took place on April 21 and 22, 1941. Following repairs, she engaged German E-boats on November 9 and 10, 1942 and then later served as a target for aircraft during training exercises. After spending a brief time with the Eastern Fleet, she was transferred to the British Pacific Fleet. Ultimately, she was ordered scrapped on October 12, 1945.
Asbestos Risk on the USS Craven (DD-70)
Caldwell-class destroyers like the Craven used asbestos extensively around engines and engineering spaces, and to insulate compartments and pipes throughout the vessel. Sailors that served on this vessel face a higher-than-normal risk for exposure to this dangerous mineral. Once asbestos gets into the body, its microscopic fibers can become lodged in the mesothelial layer, a paper-thin body of cells that surrounds and buffers the body's interior organs. Eventually, this infiltration may lead to mesothelioma, an aggressive cancer.
Sadly, the prognosis for mesothelioma cases is generally poor even today. Navy veterans from the Craven's era had even fewer treatment options and a shorter life expectancy. If you or a loved one suffered from mesothelioma after serving in the U.S. Navy, you should be aware that there are legal remedies available to you. A qualified mesothelioma lawyer can aid you in selecting a course of action. We have a mesothelioma information kit with up-to-date information on the disease, your legal rights, and medical options. Simply fill in the form on this page and we will get you the packet, at no charge.
Sources
USS Craven DD-70.
http://www.navsource.org/archives/05/070.htmRetrieved 14 December 2010
