USS Grady

History
United States
Laid down	3 January 1944
Launched	2 April 1944
Commissioned	11 September 1944
Decommissioned	2 July 1946
In service	13th Naval District, 27 April 1947
Out of service	18 December 1957
Stricken	30 June 1968
Fate	Sold for scrapping June 1969
General characteristics
Displacement	1,350/1,745 tons
Length	306 ft (93 m) overall
Beam	36 ft 10 in (11.23 m)
Draught	13 ft 4 in (4.06 m) maximum
Propulsion	2 boilers, 2 geared turbine engines, 12,000 shp, 2 screws
Speed	24 knots (44 km/h)
Range	6,000 nm @ 12 knots (22 km/h)
Complement	14 officers, 201 enlisted
Armament	2- 21 inch (533 mm) torpedo tubes, 1 Hedgehog, 8 depth charge projectors, 2 depth charge tracks

USS Grady (DE-445) was a

John C. Butler-class destroyer escort

in service with the United States Navy from 1944 to 1946 and from 1947 to 1957. She was sold for scrapping in 1969.

Namesake

George Francis Grady was born on 28 April 1920 in

Navy Cross

.

History

Grady was launched by

Federal Shipbuilding & Dry Dock Co., Newark, New Jersey

, 2 April 1944; sponsored by Miss Margaret Grady, sister of the namesake; and commissioned 11 September 1944.

Boston, Massachusetts, the ship sailed 17 November for Norfolk, Virginia, escorting transport Chilton (APA-38), and from Norfolk continued through the Panama Canal to San Diego, California, where she arrived 4 December. Grady sailed immediately via San Francisco, California, for Pearl Harbor, where she arrived 15 December 1944. Until 23 December she operated with carrier Saratoga (CV-3)

during flight qualifications, rescuing three downed aviators.

With the American offensive in the Pacific then entering its climactic phase, Grady departed 26 December 1944 for

antisubmarine screen, and departed the area 2 March en route to Saipan

.

Arriving at

antiaircraft

fire in the huge transport anchorages.

Grady continued this arduous duty until 28 June, when she sailed for

Okinawa

.

Grady began the long voyage home 5 November 2 months after the surrender of Japan. Cruising via Manila Bay and Pearl Harbor, she arrived at San Pedro, Los Angeles, 26 November. Scheduled for deactivation, the ship was towed to San Diego, California, and decommissioned 2 July 1946.

Training ship

Placed in the San Diego Group,

12th Naval District at San Francisco, California, continuing her important role as training ship for reserve officers and men, and as school ship for Fleet Sonar School, San Diego

, California.