USS Gregory (DD-802)

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
For other ships with the same name, see USS Gregory.
History
United States
NamesakeFrancis H. Gregory
Builder
Todd Pacific Shipyards
, Seattle
Laid down31 August 1943
Launched8 May 1944
Commissioned29 July 1944
Decommissioned1 February 1964
Stricken1 May 1966
FateRun aground for use as target, 4 March 1971
General characteristics
Class and typeFletcher-class destroyer
Displacement2,050 tons
Length376 ft 6 in (114.7 m)
Beam39 ft in (12.1 m)
Draft17 ft 9 in (5.4 m)
Propulsion
  • 60,000 shp (45 MW);
  • geared turbines;
  • 2 propellers
Speed38 knots (70 km/h; 44 mph)
Range
  • 6,500 nautical miles at 15 kt
  •   (12,000 km at 30 km/h)
Complement329
Armament

USS Gregory (DD-802) was a Fletcher-class destroyer of the United States Navy, the second Navy ship named for Rear Admiral Francis H. Gregory (1780–1866), who served from the War of 1812 to the Civil War.

Gregory was

Todd-Pacific Ship Building Co., Tacoma, Washington, 8 May 1944; sponsored by Miss Ann McGuigan, daughter of Captain McGuigan, superintendent of construction at Tacoma; and commissioned 29 July 1944, Commander Bruce McCandless
commanding.

1944 – 1947

After shakedown along the West Coast, Gregory sailed for the Pacific with Hull (DD-802), reaching

Eniwetok on D-day, 19 February. For the next month she remained off the rocky coast under almost constant fire to screen transports and provide fire support for the invasion forces. Departing Iwo Jima 15 March, Gregory reached Saipan 4 days later to prepare for her role in the Okinawa campaign
.

USS Gregory in 1944.

Okinawa, last step prior to invasion of the Japanese home islands themselves, involved over a thousand ships and half a million men, under Admiral Raymond A. Spruance, in the Pacific's war largest amphibious effort. Gregory joined this modern armada as it sailed from Saipan 27 March and was off Okinawa 1 April 1945 as the first waves of Marines waded ashore to bloody battle. Her task group, under Admiral Jerauld Wright
, conducted a "demonstration landing" on the southeast coast, hoping to distract some Japanese attention from the actual invasion along Okinawa's western coast. This diversion complete, Gregory remained off Okinawa on patrol and radar picket station.

On the afternoon of 8 April, Gregory’s lookouts spotted three Japanese planes coming in out of the setting sun, a favorite

Kerama Retto for temporary repairs, and on 19 April departed Okinawa. After escorting the aircraft carrier Intrepid (CV-11) to Pearl Harbor, she sailed for San Diego
, reaching there 18 May for battle repairs. While Gregory was still in overhaul, the Japanese surrendered and the destroyer was placed in inactive status, in commission in reserve, at San Diego. She decommissioned 15 January 1947.

1951 – 1964

Gregory’s rest was to be brief, as Communist forces launched their war in

P2V 19 January 1953, she closed to within 8,000 yards of Nan-ao Tao, an island just off the China coast that had fallen to the Communists on 3 March 1950 in the Battle of Nan'ao Island
. Though shore batteries opened fire on her. Gregory did not return fire, instead clearing the area immediately to continue her SAR mission.

After the

Okinawa, the Philippines, and Formosa for training maneuvers with American and other warships. In the fall of 1958 Gregory spent a tension-filled 2½ months off the China coast during one of the periodic intensification of the Quemoy-Matsu crisis
.

Gregory earned the

Navy List 1 May 1966, renamed Indoctrinator, and served as an inoperable trainer at San Diego from 20 May 1966 to 8 January 1971. The ship was grounded on San Clemente Island, Southern California
on 4 March 1971 to serve as a target.

Awards

References

External links

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