The first USS Jenkins (DD-42) was a modified Paulding-class destroyer in the United States Navy during World War I. She was named for Rear Admiral Thornton A. Jenkins.

USS Jenkins (DD-42) moored in a European area port (possibly Queenstown, Ireland), circa 1918. She is painted in "Dazzle" type camouflage.
History
United States
Name	Jenkins
Namesake	Rear Admiral Thornton A. Jenkins
Builder	Bath Iron Works, Bath, Maine
Cost	$650,712.43[1]
Laid down	24 March 1911
Launched	29 April 1912
Sponsored by	Miss Alice Jenkins, daughter of Rear Admiral Jenkins
Commissioned	15 June 1912
Decommissioned	31 October 1919
Stricken	8 March 1935
Identification	Hull symbol:DD-42 Code letters:NID
Fate	Sold for scrap in 1935
General characteristics [2]
Class and type	Paulding-class destroyer
Displacement	742 long tons (754 t) normal 887 long tons (901 t) full load
Length	293 ft 10 in (89.56 m)
Beam	27 ft (8.2 m)
Draft	8 ft 4 in (2.54 m) (mean)[3]
Installed power	12,000 ihp (8,900 kW)
Propulsion	4 × boilers 3 × Parsons Direct Drive Turbines 3 × shafts
Speed	29.5 kn (33.9 mph; 54.6 km/h) 31.27 kn (35.98 mph; 57.91 km/h) (Speed on Trial)[3]
Complement	4 officers 87 enlisted[4]
Armament	5 × 3 in (76 mm)/50 caliber guns 6 × 18 inch (450 mm) torpedo tubes (3 × 2)

Jenkins was laid down on 24 March 1911 by Bath Iron Works, Bath, Maine; launched on 29 April 1912; sponsored by Miss Alice Jenkins, daughter of Rear Admiral Jenkins; and commissioned on 15 June 1912.

Pre-World War I

In the years that preceded World War I, Jenkins, based at Newport, Rhode Island, trained with the Atlantic Fleet, sailing to the Caribbean for winter maneuvers operating along the East Coast in summer. In addition, she sailed to Tampico, Mexico in mid-April 1914 to support the American occupation of Veracruz. On 1 October 1916 she was in a collision with the lighter Trilby at Sandwich, Massachusetts that resulted in damage to the lighter.[5]

World War I

As the war raged in Europe, Jenkins continued patrol operations along the North American coast in search of possible German U-boats. The patrols and maneuvers sharpened her war-readiness, so that she was ready for any eventuality when she sailed for Europe on 26 May 1917.

Based at Queenstown, Ireland, Jenkins and her sister destroyers patrolled the eastern Atlantic, escorting convoys and rescuing survivors of sunken merchantmen. She continued escort and patrol duty for the duration of the war. Though she made several submarine contacts, no results were determined. Following the signing of the Armistice on 11 November 1918, Jenkins sailed for home, arriving Boston, Massachusetts on 3 January 1919.

Inter-war period

The destroyer operated along the Atlantic coast until arriving at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on 20 July. She remained there until decommissioning on 31 October. Jenkins was scrapped in 1935 in accordance with the London Naval Treaty.

Notable commanders

• LCDR Frederick V. McNair Jr., recipient of Medal of Honor, commanded Jenkins in 1914
• CDR Henry D. Cooke received the Navy Cross as Commanding Officer of destroyer Allen. Commanded Jenkins from August 1917 - January 1918
• LCDR James L. Kauffman received the Navy Cross for service as Commanding Officer of Jenkins during World War I.[6]

References

• This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. The entry can be found here.

External links

• Photo gallery of USS Jenkins at NavSource Naval History