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USS Greer (DD-145)

Please see below for item level images and donated collections containing photographs of USS Greer (DD-145)

USS Greer (DD-145) was launched by William Cramp & Sons Ship & Engine Building Co., Philadelphia, Pa., 1 August 1918; sponsored by Miss Evelina Porter Gleaves, daughter of Rear Admiral Gleaves; and commissioned 31 December 1918, Comdr. C. E. Smith in command.

USS Greer (DD-145)'s shake down took her to Azores, from which she rendezvoused with George Washington, carrying President Woodrow Wilson home from the Versailles Peace Conference, and escorted her to the United States. After exercises in coastal waters, USS Greer (DD-145) was assigned to Trepassy Bay, Newfoundland, for duties during a transatlantic flight by four Navy seaplanes, one of which, NC-4, safely completed the historic undertaking.

Six months duty with the Pacific Fleet terminated 25 March 1920 when USS Greer (DD-145) sailed to join the Asiatic fleet. After standing by off Shanghai to protect American lives and property during riots there in May, USS Greer (DD-145) sailed to Port Arthur and Darien on intelligence missions and returned to Cavite, P.I., for fleet exercises. USS Greer (DD-145) decommissioned at San Diego 22 June 1922, and was placed in reserve. USS Greer (DD-145) recommissioned 31 March 1930, Comdr. J. W. Bunkley in command. Operating with the Battle Fleet, she participated in a variety of exercises along the coast from Alaska to Panama, with an occasional voyage to Hawaii. Transferred to the Scouting Fleet 1 February 1931, she cruised off Panama, Haiti, and Cuba before being attached to the Rotating Reserve from August 1933 to February 1934.

As the German high command stepped up the pace of the war through the summer of 1944, USS Greer (DD-145) found herself involved in an incident which brought America's entry into the war nearer. The "Greer Incident" occurred 4 September. At 0840 that morning USS Greer (DD-145), carrying mail and passengers to Argentia, was signaled by a British plane that a Nazi submarine had crash-dived some 10 miles ahead. Forty minutes later the DD's soundman picked up the German U-boat, and USS Greer (DD-145) began to trail the submarine. USS Greer (DD-145) lost sound contact during the maneuvers, and began to quarter the area in search of the U-boat. After 2 hours, she reestablished sound contact and laid down a pattern of 11 depth charges before discontinuing the engagement. 

USS Greer (DD-145) remained in the North Atlantic through 1941, shepherding convoys to and from MOMP, the mid-ocean meeting point at which American ships took over escort duties from the hard-pressed Royal Navy. After overhaul at Boston, she turned south 3 March 1942 to resume patrol duty in the Caribbean, fast becoming a favorite German hunting ground. The veteran destroyer spent the remainder of her long career performing a variety of necessary tasks in American waters. After a tour of submarine training duty at New London, USS Greer (DD-145) became plane guard for several new carriers during the summer of 1944. Operating from various New England ports, she served with USS Ranger, USS Tripoli, USS Mission Bay, and USS Wake Island. Sailing to Key West in February 1945, USS Greer (DD-145) continued plane guard duty until 11 June when she sailed to the Philadelphia Navy Yard. USS Greer (DD-145) decommissioned 19 July 1945.

For a complete history of USS Greer (DD-145) please see its DANFS page.