USS Grayson ( DD - 435 ) USS " Grayson " ( DD - 435 ) , a " Gleaves " - class destroyer , is the only ship of the United States Navy to be named for Rear Admiral Cary Travers Grayson , who served as personal physician and aide to President Woodrow Wilson during World War I . He also served as chairman of the American Red Cross from 1935 until his death 15 February 1938 . " Grayson " was laid down 17 July 1939 by the Charleston Navy Yard , South Carolina , launched 7 August 1940 ; sponsored by Mrs . Alice Gertrude Gordon Grayson Harrison ( Mrs . George Leslie Harrison ) , widow of Rear Admiral Grayson ; and commissioned 14 February 1941 , Lieutenant Commander Thomas M . Stokes in command . Atlantic escort duty , transfer to Pacific and Doolittle Raid . After shakedown along the New England coast and in Chesapeake Bay , " Grayson " joined Destroyer Division 22 ( DesDiv 22 ) of the Atlantic Fleet . On 28 August the new destroyer be became flagship of Destroyer Squadron 11 ( DesRon 11 ) operating in the Caribbean out of Guantanamo Bay . She reported for neutrality patrol in the North Atlantic waters between Newfoundland and Iceland on 26 October . After ten months patrolling and protecting convoys in the icy North Atlantic , " Grayson " was ordered to the Pacific to join an American fleet battered but resolutely carrying the war to the enemy . She sailed from San Diego on 2 April 1942 as part of aircraft carrier " Hornet " ' s escort and rendezvoused at sea 13 April with " Enterprise " ( CV - 6 ) under Admiral William F . Halsey , Jr . From this fast carrier force , steaming less than 800 miles from the Japanese home islands , General Jimmy Doolittle launched his famed B - 25 raid , the Doolittle raid on Tokyo , 18 April , bringing war to the enemy ' s own land . The task group sailed into Pearl Harbor on 25 April . " Grayson " departed almost immediately for repairs in California , but soon returned to the Pacific war . Guadalcanal . " Grayson " again found herself with a fast carrier force as she sailed from Pearl Harbor 15 July to escort " Enterprise " and " Hornet " . Reaching Guadalcanal via Tongatapu on 7 August 1942 , the carriers launched their planes to cover Marine landings there , America ' s first major blow of the war on the road to Japan ; and then operated in the area to block Japanese reinforcements . As they maneuvered off Guadalcanal , " Enterprise " was hit by Japanese bombs 24 August in an action filled half - hour which saw " Grayson " down two planes and damage a third . The task group dispersed , " Enterprise " returning to Pearl Harbor for repairs , and " Grayson " joined Task Force 11 ( TF 11 ) , built around " Saratoga " ( CV - 3 ) under Admiral Frank Jack Fletcher . Action soon followed . Sighting a Japanese submarine on the surface the next day , 25 August , " Grayson " closed for the kill . After expending 46 depth charge s — her entire supply — in a series of five attacks , the destroyer saw a huge air bubble and oil slick rise to the surface indicating that they had sunk an Imperial submarine . The battle - proven ship and crew remained in the bitterly contested waters around Guadalcanal for nearly eight months in a variety of duties . The " Grayson " convoyed troop transport s loaded with reinforcements from Nouméa and other staging areas to Guadalcanal , patrolled in " The Slot " , served as a radar picket ship , and performed valuable rescue work . On 18 October she picked up 75 survivors from " Meredith " ( DD - 434 ) , sunk by aerial torpedo 16 October , and helped escort the barge " Vireo " , loaded with desperately needed fuel and ammunition , to Guadalcanal . Kolombangara . Returning to Pearl Harbor 15 April 1943 for overhaul , " Grayson " continued on to the States for further repairs and finally sailed to New Caledonia , arriving 24 September . She accounted for at least four and possible two more Japanese barges loaded with evacuees from Kolombangara during three nights of action , 30 September – 3 October , with DesRon 21 under Commander A . D . Chandler . After 3 months of patrol duty , " Grayson " sailed for Puget Sound Navy Yard 16 December for overhaul . 1944 . " Grayson " soon returned to the Pacific , putting in at Majuro Atoll , Marshall Islands , 10 February 1944 . Patrol duty in the Solomons , Carolines , and Marshalls occupied her the following 6 months . On 30 March " Grayson " supported initial assault landings on Pityilu Island , Admiralties , from 22 to 24 April she was fighter - director ship for the landings at Tanahmerah Bay , Dutch New Guinea . She bombarded Biak Island on 27 May and Noemfoor Island on 2 July prior to invasion landings . On 1 September 1944 " Grayson " joined TG 38 , for carrier strikes against the enemy in the Palau Islands , scene of the next major invasion . She returned to Seeadler Harbor on 30 September . She again sailed 2 October for a major strike against Okinawa and the Philippines . Japanese planes harassed the withdrawal , and on 15 October " Grayson " rescued 194 men from the torpedoed light cruiser " Houston " ( CL - 81 ) , who was towed safely to Ulithi . Prom Ulithi , " Grayson " sailed straight to Saipan , where on 3 November she took up radar picket and lifeguard duty . Finally " Grayson " was ordered home , reaching Seattle 9 June 1945 for her first real rest since the war began . End of World War II and fate . " Grayson " returned to Pearl Harbor 1 September 1945 , the day of the signing of the Articles of Surrender in Tokyo Bay . After brief training she sailed for the United States . transiting the Panama Canal 8 October , she put in at Charleston , South Carolina , 16 October . Eleven days later the battle - scarred " tin can " hosted over 5 , 000 visitors as a grateful and jubilant public paid tribute on Navy Day . " Grayson " remained at Charleston until decommissioned , 4 February 1947 , and was placed in reserve . She was struck from the Naval Vessel Register on 1972 and sold 12 June 1974 and broken up for scrap . " Grayson " received 13 battle star s for World War II service . In 1965 , " Grayson " — via stock footage — appeared in " Gilligan ' s Island " episode “ Forget Me Not ” steaming alongside USS " Emmons " ( DD - 457 ) , representing U . S . Navy ships looking for the stranded castaways .