USS Gridley (DLG-21)

• Namesake: USS Gridley (DLG-21) was named in honor of Captain Charles Vernon Gridley, best known for Admiral Dewey’s famous command, “You may fire when you are ready, Gridley,” during the Battle of Manila Bay in the Spanish-American War. • Leahy-class Leader: Gridley was the fourth ship in the Leahy-class of guided missile frigates (later reclassified as cruisers), a pioneering class pioneering the “double-ended” missile ship concept. • Launch and Commissioning: USS Gridley was launched on July 31, 1961, at the Puget Sound Bridge and Dry Dock Company in Seattle, Washington, and commissioned on May 25, 1963. • Missile Armament: At the time of her commissioning, Gridley was equipped with advanced missile systems, including the RIM-2 Terrier surface-to-air missile, giving her significant anti-aircraft capability. • Vietnam War Service: Gridley participated in the Vietnam War, providing escort, surveillance, and radar picket services for U.S. aircraft carriers on Yankee Station in the Gulf of Tonkin. • Space Mission Support: In 1965, the ship served as a recovery force for the Gemini 4 space mission, highlighting the Navy’s role in supporting NASA’s human spaceflight programs. • Reclassification: In 1975, as part of a Navy-wide reclassification, USS Gridley was redesignated from DLG-21 (guided missile frigate) to CG-21 (guided missile cruiser). • Technological Upgrades: During her service, Gridley underwent several modernization programs, including upgrades to her missile systems and electronic warfare suite to keep pace with advancing technology and threats. • Persian Gulf Operations: In the late 1980s, Gridley took part in Operation Earnest Will, escorting reflagged Kuwaiti oil tankers through the Persian Gulf during the Iran–Iraq War. • Decommissioning and Legacy: USS Gridley was decommissioned on January 21, 1994, after over 30 years of service. She was eventually scrapped in 2005, but her name and legacy live on in the current USS Gridley (DDG-101), an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer.