Warship profile: USS Caldwell (DD-69)

The USS Caldwell was one of six Caldwell class destroyers constructed during World War I

The Caldwell class destroyers were a transition upgrade from the Samson class destroyers, they had a length of 315 feet and could reach speeds of up to 30 knots. The crews consisted of 95 men and 5 officers. Caldwell class destroyers were also among the first class of ship to introduce flush decks.

Armed with four 4-nch guns in single mounts and two 1 pounder AA guns along with four triple mounted torpedo tubes, the USS Caldwell began her career on the 10th of July in 1917. Her namesake was Lt James R. Caldwell, a United States officer who served in the Quasi-War from 1798 to 1800. He died in 1804 at the age of 24.

She joined the Atlantic Fleet and would take part in patrols and convoy escort duties. Caldwell would survive the war and transported troops to Brest,France and assisted with escorting US President Woodrow Wilson who was onboard the SS George Washington.

In Popular Culture

The Caldwell (with a horrible skin) in Steel Ocean

The Caldwell class destroyers appears in the free-to-play online naval game "Steel Ocean", the ship is playable right at the very start in Tier 1. It has good damage and accuracy on the guns and good reload speed for the torpedoes.

It's my favourite of the Tier 1 ships