The USS Leary (DD-158) was a Wickes-class destroyer built for the United States Navy, commissioned in 1919. Constructed at the New York Shipbuilding Corporation yard in Camden, New Jersey, she was one of 111 Wickes-class destroyers produced between 1917 and 1919. She had a standard displacement of approximately 1,090 tonnes (1,070 long tons; 1,200 short tons), with an overall length of 314 feet (96 meters), a beam of 30 feet 6 inches (9.30 meters), and a draught of 12 feet (3.7 meters). Her propulsion system comprised two Curtis steam turbines powered by four Yarrow boilers, enabling her to reach speeds up to 35 knots (65 km/h; 40 mph) during trials. Leary was armed with four 4"/50 caliber guns, two 3"/23 caliber guns, and twelve 21-inch (533 mm) torpedo tubes, and was crewed by approximately 176 officers and enlisted men. As part of her service, she participated in fleet exercises, training cruises, and had notable moments such as being the first U.S. Navy vessel equipped with radar temporarily during an experimental installation in 1937. Her service history included deployment with the Pacific Battle Fleet, participation in bombing tests overseen by Billy Mitchell, and patrols off the U.S. East Coast against German U-boats starting in 1939. With the outbreak of World War II, Leary was assigned convoy escort duties to Iceland, the Caribbean, and West Africa, later being upgraded to an anti-submarine warfare role. She was also among the first U.S. ships to make radar contact with a German U-boat during convoy escort operations in November 1941. On December 24, 1943, while escorting USS Card through rough North Atlantic seas, Leary was torpedoed three times by the German submarine U-275, resulting in her sinking with the loss of 98 crew members, including her commanding officer, James E. Kyes, who was posthumously awarded the Navy Cross. The sinking marked a significant wartime loss, emphasizing her role in the Battle of the Atlantic. Leary's service earned her one battle star for her World War II contributions, and her legacy underscores the operational challenges and dangers faced by Allied convoy escorts in the Atlantic theater.

This description has been generated using GPT-4.1-NANO based on the Vessel's wikidata information and then modified by ShipIndex.org staff.