 As a 1630-tonner authorized in 1938, known at the time to shipmates as a the Livermore class, the specifications for Grayson reflected the characteristics of pre-war Gleaves-class ships built at Charleston Navy Yard:
Length Overall: 348' 3"
Extreme Beam: 36' 3"
Normal Displacement: 1,630 long tons
Draft: Mean: 13' 5"
Designed Complement: Officers, 11; Enlisted, 201
Designed Shaft Horsepower: 51,000
Designed Speed: 35 knots
DATA | Name: United States Ship Grayson
Type: Destroyer
Namesake: Rear Admiral Cary Travers Grayson
Navy Classification: DD 433
Class: DD 423, Gleaves, also Livermore
Builder: Charleston Navy Yard, Charleston, South Carolina
Authorized: 23 July 1938
Keel laid: 17 July 1939
Launched: 7 August 1940
Commissioned: 14 February 1941
Decommissioned: 4 February 1947
Scrapped: 1971 | Shipmates’ nicknames: “G”; “Galloping G”; “Mighty G” |
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Screws: Two
Rudder: One
Stacks: Two
As commissioned, Grayson’s armament was typical for a 1941 Livermore-class destroyer armed as follows:. Primary: 5 x 5-inch/38 cal. in five single mounts, gunhouses on Nos. 1, 2 and 5.
Short-range antiaircraft 6 x 0.50 cal. machine guns
Torpedo Tubes: 10 x 21-inch in two quintuple mounts
ASW: 2 racks for 600-lb. charges; 4 “K”-guns for 300-lb. charges
Her electronics were typical of the period just before SG (surface search) radar became available: In common with other destroyers of DesDiv 22, her No. 3 5-inch gun was removed to reduce topweight and 20mm single Oerlikon replaced her 0.50 cal. machine guns as follows: Primary: 4 x 5-inch/38 cal. in four single mounts
Short-range antiaircraft 6 x 20mm single Oerlikon
Torpedo Tubes: 10 x 21-inch in two quintuple mounts
ASW: 2 racks for 600-lb. charges; 4 “K”-guns for 300-lb. charges
In a refit at Mare Island, February 1943, her two after 20mm guns were replaced by 40mm twin Bofors. For the remainder of her wartime service, her armament was as follows: Primary: 4 x 5-inch/38 cal. in four single mounts
Long-range antiaircraft 4 x 40mm Bofors in two twin mounts
Short-range antiaircraft 4 x 20mm single Oerlikon
Torpedo Tubes: 10 x 21-inch in two quintuple mounts
ASW: 2 racks for 600-lb. charges; 4 “K”-guns for 300-lb. charges
In a final overhaul at Seattle in June–July 1945, after which she did not return to the war zone, Grayson landed her after torpedo tube mount and 40mm twin Bofors in favor of two quad 40mm mounts. Her final armament was as follows: Primary: 4 x 5-inch/38 cal. in four single mounts
Long-range antiaircraft 8 x 40mm Bofors in two quad mounts
Short-range antiaircraft 4 x 20mm single Oerlikon
Torpedo Tubes: 5 x 21-inch in one quintuple mount
ASW: 2 racks for 600-lb. charges; 4 “K”-guns for 300-lb. charges
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