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USS Greene (DD-266)

Please see below for item level images and donated collections containing photographs of USS Greene (DD-266)

USS Greene (DD-266) was launched 2 November 1918 by the Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corp., Quincy, Mass.; sponsored by Mrs. John Stevens Conover. the namesake's daughter; and commissioned 9 May 1919, Comdr. R. A. Theobald in command.

USS Greene (DD-266) sailed from Newport 5 June 1919 for Brest via Plymouth, England, and returned to New York 27 July. Underway again 18 August, she put in at San Diego, Calif., 22 December and decommissioned there in March 1920. Remaining in the Reserve Destroyer Force until 10 September 1921, she sailed from San Diego that date for the Puget Sound Navy Yard. USS Greene (DD-266) returned shortly thereafter to San Francisco, arriving 2 December 1921, and decommissioned there 17 June 1922.

Recommissioned 28 June 1940 at San Diego, USS Greene (DD-266) was towed to San Francisco and was redesignated AVD-13 6 April 1941 following conversion. She sailed 27 April for the Caribbean and conducted training and tended seaplanes off Puerto Rico and Bermuda. One week after the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor USS Greene (AVD-13) sailed for Brazil. Until the summer of 1942 she served as seaplane tender at Natal with one call at Rio de Janeiro for repairs in February 1942. She returned to Charleston 18 July 1942. 

USS Greene (AVD-13) returned to Charleston 19 January 1944 for conversion to high speed transport and was designated APD-36 on 1 February 1944. After intensive training she stood out 12 April for Oran, Algeria, to take part in Operation Dragoon, the invasion of Southern France. USS Greene (APD-36) served on escort duty in the Mediterranean until departing Oran 6 December 1944 for Norfolk, where she put in 21 December. Underway once more 29 January 1945, the far-ranging warship steamed via Panama to reach Ulithi 31 March and commenced escort duties. During April she escorted four carriers to Okinawa while the battle for that island raged.

USS Greene (APD-36)'s long dynamic career came to an end in a dramatic manner. During the famous 9 October 1945 typhoon at Okinawa, winds in excess of 100 knots drove her aground on the northwest coast of Kutaka. Damaged beyond economical repair, all useful material was salvaged. She decommissioned 23 November 1945. USS Greene (APD-36) was struck from the Navy List 5 December 1945.

For a complete history of USS Greene (DD-266) please see its DANFS page.