World War II Database

Contributor: C. Peter Chen

ww2dbaseWith Lieutenant Commander Thomas M. Stokes in command, Grayson had her shakedown cruise along the New England coast and in the Chesapeake Bay on the east coast of the United States. After the cruise, she joined Destroyer Division 22 of the Atlantic Fleet, then very soon after the flagship of Destroyer Squadron 11 at the Caribbean Sea. She patrolled and escorted convoys in the North Atlantic, between Newfoundland and Iceland, between 26 Oct 1941 and early 1942.

ww2dbaseIn late Mar 1942, Grayson joined the Pacific Fleet at San Diego, and then made rendezvous with carriers Hornet and Enterprise's group at sea on 13 Apr, escorting them for the Doolittle Raid on 18 Apr 1942. Upon returning, she spent some time in California for repairs, then reported back to the Pacific Fleet, reaching Guadalcanal area in early Aug 1942. She provided escorts to Hornet and Enterprise as their aircraft supported the Guadalcanal landings on 7 Aug. On 24 Aug, at the Battle of the Eastern Solomons where Enterprise was hit by a bomb, Grayson protected the wounded carrier, downing two Japanese aircraft and damaging a third. Immediately after the Battle of the Eastern Solomons, she joined Task Force 11 around carrier Saratoga; on the first full day of service with TF 11, she sank a Japanese submarine with 46 depth charges. Between Aug 1942 and Apr 1943, she served in the Guadalcanal/Solomon Islands area performing a wide variety of missions, including but not limited to radar picket, search and rescue, and convoy. Between 15 Apr and Sep 1943, she received an overhaul and repairs at Pearl Harbor. Between 30 Sep and 3 Oct 1943, she sank at least four Japanese transports in the Kolombangara area as a part of Destroyer Squadron 21, under the command of Commander A. D. Chandler. She received another overhaul between 16 Dec 1943 and Jan 1944, at Puget Sound Navy Yard.

ww2dbaseWhen Grayson returned to service, patrolling the Solomons, Carolines, and Marshalls. On 30 Mar 1944, she supported the initial assault landings on Pityiliu Island of the Admiralties Islands. From 22 to 24 Apr, she was fighter-director ship for the landings at Tanahmerah Bay, New Guinea. She bombarded Biak Island on 27 May and Noemfoor Island on 2 Jul. As a member of Task Group 38, she bombarded Palau Islands on 1 Sep 1944. On 15 Oct, she rescued 194 men from the sinking light cruiser Houston. On 3 Nov, she took up radar picket and lifeguard duty off Saipan. She returned to Seattle on 9 Jun 1945 for rest and recreation. She saw no further combat action in WW2.

ww2dbaseAfter brief training in Sep 1945 at Pearl Harbor, Grayson returned to Charleston, South Carolina, where she was built. On 27 Oct 1945, she hosted 5,000 visitors for Navy Day celebrations. She remained in Charleston until she was decommissioned in Feb 1947. She was sold on 12 Jun 1974 and broken up for scrap.

Destroyer Grayson Interactive Map

Photographs

Grayson Operational Timeline

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2.  David Stubblebine says:
26 May 2018 08:12:44 PM

Anonymous (above):
Fire Controlman Harry E Benner, service number 321 31 97, appears several times in the Grayson Muster Rolls. Those documents say he enlisted 14 Jun 1939 at Des Moines, Iowa and reported aboard Grayson 1 Mar 1941 where he remained throughout the war.

For the best source of information about his service, I cannot recommend strongly enough the value of requesting a copy of his service record. See https://ww2db.com/faq/#3.