Pre-World War I Drayton arrived at
Key West, Florida on 21 December 1910, to cruise in
Cuban waters and on the east coast in exercises and development problems. She sailed from Key West on 9 April 1914 to serve on blockade duty off
Mexico and take refugees out of the troubled areas, returning to
New York on 1 June, and to Newport on 1 August.
World War I Drayton served on
neutrality patrol and conducted torpedo and gunnery exercises out of
Newport, Rhode Island and in the
Caribbean. Calling at
Jacksonville, Florida from 5–11 April 1917, she took over the
German steamer
Frieda Leonhardt and interned her crew in accordance with a Presidential proclamation issued upon
American entry into World War I.
Drayton arrived at
Norfolk, Virginia on 12 April, and the next day reported for duty with the
Patrol Force off the east coast serving until 4 May, when she entered
Boston Navy Yard to fit out for distant service.
Drayton departed
Boston, Massachusetts on 21 May, and sailed by way of
St. John's, Newfoundland to
Queenstown, Ireland, arriving on 1 June. She patrolled along the coast of
Ireland, escorting both inbound and outbound ships. On 20 June, she searched for the submarine which had torpedoed , then rescued 42 survivors who were landed at
Bantry Ireland. From 26 June-4 July, she escorted a transport convoy to
St. Nazaire and took part in a submarine hunt with two
French cruisers. On 15 December, with , she picked up the survivors of , 39 in all. Transferred to
Brest and
United States Naval Forces Operating in European Waters,
Drayton left Queenstown on 15 February 1918. She continued her escort and antisubmarine operations out of this port until 16 December, when she sailed for the United States, arriving at Boston on 2 January 1919 for overhaul.
Drayton cruised along the east coast on various exercises and maneuvers until 18 July, when she reported to
Philadelphia Navy Yard in company with seven other destroyers destined for decommissioning.
Drayton was decommissioned on 17 November. On 1 July 1933, her name was dropped and she was known as
DD-23 until sold on 28 June 1935. ==References==