USS Cassin ( DD - 43 ) The first USS " Cassin " ( DD - 43 ) was the lead ship of her class of destroyer s in the United States Navy during World War I . She was later transferred to the United States Coast Guard , where she was designated CG - 1 . She was named for Stephen Cassin . Construction . " Cassin " s keel was laid down on 1 May 1912 , by Bath Iron Works , Bath , Maine , who later launched her on 20 May 1913 ; sponsored by Miss H . C . Carusi ; and commissioned on 9 August 1913 . Lieutenant Commander Harris Laning was placed in command ; and reported to the Atlantic Torpedo Flotilla . Pre - World War I . From her arrival at Key West , Florida from 5 December 1913 – 16 June 1914 , " Cassin " sailed with the 6th Division in the Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico in fleet maneuvers and exercises . On 19 May 1914 , she sailed to the rescue of SS " Atlantis " , wrecked off Tampico Bar . Taking the stricken ship ' s passengers on board , she landed them at Tampico , Mexico . After overhaul , " Cassin " operated along the east coast from 21 October - 27 January 1915 , when she returned to the Caribbean for winter maneuvers . World War I . Operations along the east coast on Neutrality patrol and drills and surveillance patrol in the Caribbean were " Cassin " s employment until April 1917 , when she was immediately prepared for overseas deployment . She arrived at Queenstown , Ireland on 17 May , and began operations which called for her to rendezvous with American troop convoys at sea and escort them to ports in England and France . On 15 October , she sighted the German submarine about south of Mine Head Lighthouse , Monagoush , County Waterford , Ireland , and pursued her . At 13 : 30 , " Cassin " was struck on her port stern by a torpedo . According to the report issued by the Secretary of the Navy , the torpedo would have missed the " Cassin " entirely , except it breached the surface of the water on two occasions and turned to the left each time . The torpedo struck above the water line , and ignited several depth charges . Gunner ' s Mate First Class Osmond Ingram was killed . When he saw the approaching torpedo , he ran to where the depth charges were and began throwing them overboard . He was killed in the explosion . For his actions , he received a posthumous Medal of Honor . Nine other men received minor wounds , but miraculously , though there were more than 20 men sleeping in compartments that were completely destroyed by the torpedo , no one else was killed . In fact , Fireman First Class F . W . Kruse is reported to have wandered out of his living compartment while completely unconscious after having had of frame blown away immediately adjacent to his bunk . " Cassin " , her rudder blown off and stern extensively damaged , began to circle . This did not prevent her , however , from firing four rounds at the submarine when she spotted its conning tower at 1430 . The submarine , thus discouraged from further attack , submerged and was not contacted again . Through the night , " Cassin " was guarded by the American destroyer and the British sloop HMS Jessamine and HMS Tamarisk , a disguised sloop under Captain Ronald Niel Stuart . In the morning , took " Cassin " in tow for Queenstown . After repairs there and at Newport , England , " Cassin " returned to escort duty on 2 July 1918 . Inter - war period . " Cassin " s war service received a well - deserved honor on 12 – 13 December , when she was chosen as one of the escorts for , carrying President Woodrow Wilson into Brest , France , for his attendance at the Versailles Peace Conference . " Cassin " returned to Boston , Massachusetts on 3 January 1919 . After winter maneuvers in the Caribbean , " Cassin " cleared New York City on 1 May for the Azores , where she took station guarding the route of the Navy ' s historic transatlantic NC - 4 flight . She returned to Boston , Massachusetts for repairs , then sailed on to Philadelphia , Pennsylvania where she was placed in reserve on 18 June for more extensive repairs . Reactivated at Charleston , South Carolina on 14 February 1921 , " Cassin " joined Destroyer Flotilla 5 for operations along the New England coast until 11 October , when she returned to Charleston . Returning to Philadelphia on 29 March 1922 , she was decommissioned there on 7 June . Transferred to the Treasury Department on 28 April 1924 for service in Coast Guard , she was part of the Rum Patrol . She was homeported in New London , Connecticut . " Cassin " was returned to naval custody on 30 June 1933 and sold for scrap 22 August 1934 .