USS Lea (DD-118)
The USS Lea (DD-118) served in the US Navy for over two-and-a-half decades in the early 20th century, and received three battle stars for her service in World War II. She was named for Edward Lea, who was mortally wounded when the Confederacy recaptured Galveston in January 1863. Lea was built as a Wickes-class ship.
Construction
Lea was laid down in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania by William Cramp & Sons in September 1918, launched in April, and commissioned in October with Lieutenant Commander W.A. Lee in command. Carrying a crew of 103, Lea was 314 feet, five inches long and was armed with four 4-inch rapid-fire guns, two anti-aircraft guns, and twelve 21-inch torpedo tubes.
Naval History
Lea operated with Destroyer Squadron 19 in 1919, and transferred to the Pacific Fleet in 1920. Prior to World War II, she served along the West Coast of the United States. Lea was decommissioned in June 1922 to May 1930 and then from April 1937 to September 1939, when she sailed for the east coast with Lieutenant Commander F.W. Slaven in command. During this deployment, Lea was assigned to neutrality patrol in the western Atlantic.
Lea guarded transports that carried marines to Iceland in July 1941, and then was assigned as a convoy escort in the North Atlantic, Caribbean, and eastern seaboard during the first two-and-a-half years the United States participated in World War II. She rescued the crew of the Russian merchantman Dvinoles following a collision, and battled U-boats for an entire day in February 1942.
Lea joined the group of ships around escort carrier Bogue to protect the convoy against enemy aircraft. For this service, Lea shared the Presidential Unit Citation awarded to the group. In December 1943, Lea was rammed by a merchantman five days after leaving New York and was repaired in Boston in June 1944. She then operated as a target ship for torpedo planes and also escorted carriers during flight training exercises near Newport, Rhode Island. From January 1945 until June, Lea conducted similar operations off Florida, and was decommissioned at Philadelphia in July 1945. She was struck from the Navy list in August and sold for scrap to the Boston Metals Salvage Company in November 1945.
Asbestos Risk on the USS Lea (DD-118)
The USS Lea was constructed during an era of heavy asbestos use, and many of her pipes, boilers, and engines were insulated and fireproofed with asbestos materials. Sailors aboard the Lea faced a much higher risk than service members in the other armed forces of exposure to this dangerous mineral. When asbestos products become damaged or worn, they can release tiny fibers into the air. Breathing those fibers can cause serious illnesses later in life, including mesothelioma, an aggressive and usually fatal cancer.
Even with modern medical help, the survival rate for mesothelioma victims is extremely low. Sailors that served during the Lea's time had even worse odds. If you or someone you love was injured by asbestos and served aboard or serviced the USS Lea, our free mesothelioma information guide can teach you more about the disease and the compensation you might be entitled to. To receive this valuable packet, please submit the form on this page. We'll get the information to you right away.
Sources
Hazy Gray & Underway. Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. DD-118
http://www.hazegray.org/danfs/destroy/dd118txt.htm Retrieved 20 December 2010
NavSource Naval History, USS Lea (DD-118).
http://www.hazegray.org/danfs/destroy/dd118txt.htm Retrieved 20 December 2010
