The USS Drayton (DD-23) was a Truxtun-class destroyer of the United States Navy. Commissioned in 1910, the ship was named after Rear Admiral Percival Drayton, a distinguished naval officer during the American Civil War. The destroyer had a displacement of 742 tons and was armed with four 3-inch guns, two 18-inch torpedo tubes, and a crew complement of 87 officers and enlisted men. During World War I, the USS Drayton was primarily used for convoy escort duties in the Atlantic. The ship also participated in the American occupation of Veracruz, Mexico, in 1914. After the war, the USS Drayton was decommissioned in 1919 and subsequently sold for scrap in 1934. The USS Drayton's service history reflects the evolving role of destroyers in the early 20th century, from convoy protection to naval operations in support of international diplomatic efforts. The ship's activities during World War I highlight the vital role played by destroyers in safeguarding merchant vessels and maintaining sea lanes during times of conflict. The decommissioning and scrapping of the USS Drayton in the interwar period underscore the navy's transition to newer, more advanced warships as technology and strategic priorities changed.

This description has been generated using GPT-3.5-TURBO based on the Vessel's wikidata information and then modified by ShipIndex.org staff.