USS Caldwell (DD-69)

For other ships of the same name, see USS Caldwell.
USS Caldwell (DD-69).
Career (United States)
Name: USS Caldwell (DD-69)
Namesake: James R. Caldwell
Builder: Mare Island Navy Yard
Laid down: 9 December 1916
Launched: 10 July 1917
Commissioned: 1 December 1917
Decommissioned: 27 June 1922
Struck: 7 January 1936
Fate: Scrapped
General characteristics
Class and type:Caldwell-class destroyer
Displacement:
  • 1,020 tons (standard)
  • 1,125 tons (normal)
Length:
  • 308 ft (93.88 m) waterline
  • 315 ft 6 in (96.2 m) overall
Beam:31 ft 3 in (9.52 m)
Draft:
  • 8 ft (2.44 m)
  • 11 ft 6 in (3.5 m) max
Propulsion:
  • Thornycroft boilers
  • Parsons geared turbines
  • two shafts
  • (20,000 shp)
Speed:35 knots (65 km/h)
Complement:146
Armament:
  • 4 in (102 mm) /50cal (4x1)
  • 1-pdr (1x1), 1.1 in (28 mm) AA (1x1); later 3 in (76 mm) (1x1)
  • 21 in (533 mm) torpedo tubes (2x3 each beam)

USS Caldwell (DD-69) was the lead ship of her class destroyer of the United States Navy. She was the first Navy ship named for Lieutenant James R. Caldwell (1778-1804).

Caldwell was launched 10 July 1917 by Mare Island Navy Yard, sponsored by Miss C. Caldwell, and commissioned 1 December 1917, Lieutenant Commander B. McCandless in command.

Service history

Ordered to join the Atlantic Fleet, Caldwell reached Norfolk, Virginia, 8 January 1918, and Queenstown, Ireland, 5 March. She participated in patrol and convoy escort duty, which were interrupted when Caldwell aided in urgent experimental work on underwater listening devices to employ against German submarines. After the close of World War I, Caldwell transported troops to Brest, France, and while there joined the escort for President Woodrow Wilson in George Washington as he entered the harbor.

Caldwell returned home for operations with the Norfolk Division, Destroyer Force, Atlantic Fleet, and with Destroyer Squadron 3 along the east coast during 1919. Placed in reserve in August 1920, she operated with a reduced complement out of Charleston, South Carolina, and Newport, Rhode Island.

She was decommissioned at Philadelphia Navy Yard 27 June 1922. She was sold there 30 June 1936.

References