The first ship named in honor of Charles Lawrence Ausburne was a flush deck, four pipe design destroyer. Her keel was laid 11 September 1919 at the Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corp. of Squantum, Massachusetts. She was launched on 18 December 1919 under the sponsorship of Mrs. Della K. Ausburn, sister-in-law of Charles Lawrence Ausburne. The USS Charles Ausburn (DD 294) was placed in commission in the Boston Navy Yard on 23 March 1920, Lieutenant Myron W. Hutchinson, Jr., USN, in command.

In naming the first destroyer, DD 294, the Navy used the spelling "Ausburn" because other members of his family spelled their name that way. The second destroyer, DD 570, used the spelling "Ausburne" after the Navy checked his enlistment papers and found that this was how he signed his name.

During the 10 years, 2 months that the USS Charles Ausburn was in commission she served with the Atlantic Fleet sailing extensively in the Caribbean, Greenland and Canadian waters, European waters and the Mediterranean. In the fall of 1923 she was equipped to carry a seaplane when she conducted experiments in naval aviation. In 1924 she provided plane guard services for the famous U.S. Army 'Around-the-World' Flight of four Martin single-engine biplanes while cruising off Greenland.

On 19 September 1929 she entered the Philadelphia Navy Yard and was decommissioned on 1 May 1930. Her name was stricken from the Navy List on 22 October 1930 and she was sold for scrap to the Boston Iron and Metal Company of Baltimore, Maryland on 17 January 1931.

Sources:

Text - U.S. Naval Institute - 'History of Ships Named Charles Ausburne'

Photo - Official U.S. Navy photo - Provided by Rich Ausburn

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