Quick Facts
Biography
Charles Foster Wedderburn was born in Chicago, Illinois on October 2, 1892, but grew up in Washington, D.C. Appointed a midshipman at the United States Naval Academy on July 7, 1911, he graduated and received his commission on June 5, 1915. Ensign Wedderburn served in the cruiser Brooklyn (CA-3) from graduation to the end of 1915. In December 1915, he transferred to the destroyer Chauncey (DD-3) assigned to the Asiatic Fleet and based at Cavite in the Philippines. He was promoted to lieutenant (j.g.) on July 1, 1917; and, a month later, his ship departed Cavite with orders to the coast of France. Based at St. Nazaire, his ship escorted convoys in the eastern Atlantic. While on such a mission about 110 miles west of Gibraltar, Chauncey was involved in a fatal collision with the British merchantman, SS Rose, on the night of November 18–19. The destroyer sank at approximately 3:17 a.m. on the 19th taking Wedderburn and 20 of his comrades to their deaths.
USS Wedderburn (DD-684), (1943–1969), was named in his honor.