USS Jarvis (DD-38)

The first USS "Jarvis" (DD-38) was a modified "Paulding"-class destroyer in the United States Navy during World War I. She was named for James C. Jarvis.

"Jarvis" was laid down by the New York Shipbuilding Company, Camden, New Jersey, 1 July 1911; launched 4 April 1912; sponsored by Mrs. Jean King; and commissioned 22 October 1912, Lieutenant Commander D. P. Mannix in command.

Following shakedown off Cuba, "Jarvis" spent a year operating out of Norfolk, Virginia in the Caribbean. She departed Pensacola, Florida 20 April 1914 for patrols off Tampico and Vera Cruz, Mexico, during the U.S. occupation of Veracruz. Returning to Norfolk 16 June, she operated in the Atlantic until departing New York 26 May 1917 to join U.S. Naval Forces which operated in European waters under Vice Admiral William S. Sims.

Arriving Queenstown, Ireland, via St. Nazaire, France, 11 June, she commenced patrol and escort duty along the Irish and English coasts. The operations of destroyers such as "Jarvis" were of immense value to the Allies in overcoming the German submarine menace. While not credited with sinking any U-boats, on two occasions "Jarvis" rescued crews of ships torpedoed by enemy submarines. On 19 June she rescued 41 survivors of SS "Batoum" off the Irish coast, and she pulled 22 survivors of the British merchantman "Purley" from the North Sea 25 July. After recovering "Batoum's" survivors, she braved a possible torpedo attack and positioned herself between SS "Mechanician" and a U-boat to protect the merchant ship from enemy torpedoes.

"Jarvis" operated out of Queenstown until 15 February 1918 when she sailed to Brest, France to guard Allied shipping along the French coast. She patrolled out of Brest until 28 December; then she sailed for the United States. Arriving Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 12 January 1919, she resumed operations along the Atlantic Coast. "Jarvis" returned to Philadelphia 21 July and decommissioned 26 November. Under the terms of the London Treaty of 1930, which limited naval armament, she was scrapped and her materials sold 23 April 1935.

References

*DANFS|http://www.history.navy.mil/danfs/j2/jarvis-i.htm