USS Gridley ( DD - 380 ) The second USS " Gridley " ( DD - 380 ) was the lead ship of her class of destroyer s in the United States Navy . She was named for Charles Vernon Gridley . She served with distinction in the Pacific Theater during the Second World War and shared in the sinking of a Japanese submarine . History . " Gridley " fitted out at Boston Navy Yard , and conducted shakedown in the Caribbean area until 27 October 1938 , visiting Puerto Rico , Cuba , and Venezuela . She then underwent alterations at the Boston Navy Yard until 13 June 1938 , when she departed that port , transited the Panama Canal , and entered San Diego harbor 5 July 1938 . Joining Destroyer Division 11 , " Gridley " spent the next months in tactical maneuvers off the coast of California , and 4 January 1939 departed with the Battle Force for combined maneuvers in the Caribbean . She participated in Fleet Problem 20 with the Fleet off Cuba and Haiti , after which she returned to Boston for repairs . The destroyer again sailed into San Diego 13 July 1939 and became flagship of Division 11 . She conducted maneuvers off California until 2 April 1940 , when " Gridley " and other ships of the fleet conducted Fleet Problem 21 in Hawaiian waters . Subsequently , " Gridley " operated out of Hawaii . World War II . " Gridley " cleared Pearl Harbor 28 November 1941 as part of the antisubmarine screen for famed carrier Enterprise , flagship of Admiral Halsey , and after a stop at Wake Island , reversed course for Pearl Harbor . The Task Force was approaching that base on the morning of 7 December when the astounding message heralding the beginning of the war was received : " Air raid on Pearl Harbor , this is no drill . " " Gridley " entered the harbor next day to help protect against renewed attack , and during the next 5 months was occupied escorting transports and repair vessels to and from Pearl Harbor and South Pacific ports . Her last such voyage was completed 27 May 1942 and 5 June 1942 she arrived at Kodiak , Alaska , with cruiser " Nashville " . In the Alaskan theater , " Gridley " escorted transports and patrolled the Japanese - held islands of Kiska and Attu , assisting in the bombardment of Kiska 7 August 1942 . She acted during this period as flagship for famous destroyerman Comdr . Frederick Moosbrugger . Departing Dutch Harbor 25 September 1942 , " Gridley " joined the " Saratoga " task force in Hawaiian waters and later performed escort missions for both combatant and non - combatant ships in the Fijis and New Hebrides . In December 1942 she escorted oiler " Cimarron " out of Noumea to fueling rendezvous with the carrier task forces supporting the bitter fighting in the Solomons . Shifting her base of operations to Purvis Bay , in the Solomons , 13 July , " Gridley " guarded the high - speed transports which rescued survivors from " Helena " in Parasco Bay 16 July 1943 , and teamed with destroyer " Maury " to escort infantry landing craft from Guadalcanal for the landings on Tambatuni , New Georgia . She bombarded shore installations near the invasion beaches 25 July and screened the ships supporting the landing . In company with six other destroyers she destroyed Japanese landing barges in Vella Gulf 10 August , and screened " Saratoga " during air operations in the Solomons until 25 August . " Gridley " returned to Pearl Harbor with escort carriers " Suwanee " and " Long Island " 4 September 1943 and then departed for San Diego , where she remained for repairs 11 September to 26 October 1943 . The Gilbert Islands were her next destination , and " Gridley " left Pearl Harbor once more 10 November 1943 for Makin Island . She assisted in the bombardment of that island , screened aircraft carriers , and then conducted independent patrol in the area until setting course for Hawaii 1 December . 1944 . Vice Admiral Marc A . Mitscher ' s Carrier Task Force 58 departed Pearl Harbor 18 January 1944 for the great offensive in the Marshall Islands , with " Gridley " again acting as screening ship for " Saratoga " . " Gridley " guarded the carrier during the crucial strikes against Wotje and Eniwetok , and 8 March sailed for the New Hebrides with carriers " Yorktown " , " Princeton " , and " Langley " , assisting them in support of the developing New Guinea offensive . The veteran destroyer sailed with the " Hornet " task force 7 June 1944 to take part in the invasion of the Marianas , where the carriers pounded Saipan , Rota , and Guam . In all these operations " Gridley " and her sister destroyers rendered invaluable service protecting the carriers against air and submarine attack . " Gridley " was with American forces in the pivotal Battle of the Philippine Sea 19 to 20 June 1944 , when four massive waves of Japanese torpedo bombers and escorting fighters were decimated by fleet air and surface units . " Gridley " ' s antiaircraft fire helped to protect the aircraft carriers , with the result that Japanese air strength was virtually ended with this battle . " Gridley " departed Eniwetok Atoll 30 June 1944 bound with the carriers for strikes on Iwo Jima , Guam , Yap , Ulithi , and the Volcano Islands . She supported directly the American landings on Peleliu 15 September 1944 , shooting down at least one Japanese attack plane . After screening the carriers in attacks on Okinawa and Formosa , Gridley joined the mounting American forces for the invasion of the Philippines . While protecting the large ships off Luzon 28 October 1944 she and destroyer " Helm " detected and sank Japanese submarine I - 51f with a series of devastating depth charge attacks . In the succeeding days , " Gridley " fought off Japanese suicide planes and returned to Ulithi with damaged carriers " Franklin " and " Belleau Wood " 2 November . 1945 . " Gridley " was soon at sea again , however , clearing Ulithi 5 November with the fast carrier task force for the Leyte operation . She later joined a group of escort carriers and served as a bombardment and patrol ship during the landings in Lingayen Gulf until 10 February 1945 . After stopping again at Ulithi , " Gridley " escorted battleship " Mississippi " en route to Pearl Harbor , and then sailed via San Diego and the Panama Canal for New York , where she arrived 30 March 1945 . She entered the New York Navy Yard next day for much - needed repairs , and after finishing her overhaul departed the United States 22 June 1945 . She served in Europe from July 1945 to January 1946 . Fate . " Gridley " was decommissioned on April 18 , 1946 . She was sold for scrap in August 1947 .