Namesake Charles Vernon Gridley Commissioned 8 March 1919 Struck 25 January 1937 Launched 4 July 1918 | Laid down 1 April 1918 Decommissioned 22 June 1922 Construction started 1 April 1918 Builder Union Iron Works | |
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Fate Sold for scrap, 19 April 1939 | ||
The first USS Gridley (DD-92) was a Wickes-class destroyer in the United States Navy during the World War I. She was named in honor of Charles Vernon Gridley.
History
Gridley was launched by the Union Iron Works of San Francisco, California, 4 July 1918; sponsored by Mrs. Francis P. Thomas, daughter of Captain Gridley, and commissioned 8 March 1919, Comdr. Frank Jack Fletcher in command.
After fitting out at the Mare Island Navy Yard, Gridley departed San Diego 24 March 1919, transited the Panama Canal, and joined the Destroyer Force for maneuvers in Cuban waters. She then repaired briefly at Norfolk, Virginia, before putting into New York 26 April 1919. Gridley's first assignment was with a group of destroyers posted along the route of the Navy's transatlantic seaplane flight. Gridley and her companions sent up smoke and flare signals to guide the intrepid flyers and with the help of the surface ships NC-4 was able to land in the dense fog at the Azores 17 May 1919. Subsequently Gridley participated in the search for NC-1, forced down in the fog, and then acted as guard ship on the last leg of NC-4's historic flight, which was completed at Plymouth, England, 31 May 1919.
Gridley arrived at Brest, France, 31 May and spent the next 2 months in various ports of the Mediterranean transporting passengers and making goodwill visits. She arrived back at New York 31 July. Operating out of Portsmouth, New Hampshire, Gridley embarked Major General Lejeune and Brigadier General Butler of the Marine Corps at Charleston 2 September 1920, for an inspection tour of Caribbean bases and commands, including posts in Cuba, Haiti, and the Dominican Republic. Her distinguished passengers disembarked 27 September 1920.
In the following years Gridley was active training officers and men of the Naval Reserve Force, operating out of Charleston, Newport, New York, and Philadelphia. She decommissioned at Philadelphia Navy Yard 22 June 1922 and remained inactive until her name was stricken from the Navy List 25 January 1937. Gridley’s hulk was sold for scrapping 19 April 1939.