USS Gridley (DD-92)

USS Gridley (DD-92) was a Clemson-class destroyer in the United States Navy during World War II. Named for Charles Vernon Gridley, Captain of USS Olympia during the Battle of Manila Bay in the Spanish-American War, she was the lead ship of her class of destroyers.

Gridley was laid down by the Union Iron Works, San Francisco, California, on 15 July 1918, launched on 14 March 1919, sponsored by Miss Sylvia K. Gridley, granddaughter of Captain Gridley, and commissioned on 8 March 1920, Commander James M. Irish in command.

Following commissioning, Gridley joined Destroyer Division 31, Destroyer Squadron 11, Pacific Fleet. Throughout the 1920s and 1930s, she participated in various fleet exercises and training operations along the West Coast and in Hawaiian waters.

With the outbreak of World War II in Europe, Gridley patrolled the Pacific, conducting neutrality patrols and escort duties. Following the attack on Pearl Harbor on 7 December 1941, she was immediately involved in the war effort. She initially served on convoy duty protecting shipping lanes in the Pacific.

Gridley participated in numerous engagements throughout the war, including operations in the Solomon Islands campaign, the Battle of the Coral Sea, and the Battle of Midway. She provided vital screening for aircraft carriers and battleships. Her crew earned several battle stars for their wartime service.

After the war, Gridley was decommissioned on 29 June 1946. She was struck from the Naval Vessel Register on 19 July 1946, and sold for scrap on 2 December 1947. Though no longer extant, USS Gridley (DD-92) represents a significant contribution to the U.S. Navy's efforts in World War II.