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History of Our Patch

HISTORY OF THE SHIP THAT IS ON OUR DEPARTMENT PATCH

      Hull number159  USS Drayton, DD-366

      1480-Ton Mahan Class Destroyer, United States Navy. the ship was 341 feet, 3 and half inches long. I t had a 35 foot beam, 19 feet, 8 inch depth with a 10 foot 8inch draft. Two geared G.E. steam turbines allowed for 52,000 horse power. 2 stacks, 2 masts, twin screws, single rudder.

The keel was laid on March 20th, 1934 and upon completion was launched on March 26th 1936. The ship was delivered  to the Navy and commissioned on September 1st 1936. The ship reached 40 knots on sea trials. A compliment of 12 Officers and 192 enlisted sailors called the U.S.S. Drayton "home". Assigned to the Pacific Fleet in 1937. The Drayton particpated in the search for Amelia Earhart. Picked up 128 survivors of the cruiser NORTHAMPTON,CA-26, which was sunk at Guadalcanal in World War II. The Drayton was also attacked by Kamikaze during WWII in which 6 sailors died and 12 were injured. The ship was repaired and returned to service. On October 9,1945 the Drayton was decommissioned. The sale of the U.S.S.Drayton took place on December 20th 1946, it was scrapped in 1947.