The USS Gridley (DD-380) was a United States Navy destroyer and the lead ship of her class. She was laid down on June 3, 1935; launched on December 1, 1936; and commissioned on June 24, 1937. She was named in honor of Civil War-era Captain Charles Vernon Gridley. This class differed from the previous Mahan class in that it had enhanced torpedo armament but one fewer main battery mount. The destroyer actively participated in battles in the Pacific from the start of World War II. Although the Gridley was not at Pearl Harbor when it was attacked, she arrived the following day. She participated in defending the islands from subsequent attacks and patrolled for enemy submarines. She later actively participated in escorting transports, patrolling dangerous waters around the Aleutians, and the Guadalcanal Offensive. She also participated in most major battles, including the Gilbert Islands Offensive, the Battle of the Marshall Islands, the Battle of Leyte Gulf, and the landings on Iwo Jima and Okinawa. On March 30, 1945, Gridley returned to the United States for several months of repairs and dry docking. From July 1945 to January 1946, she served in Europe. On April 18, 1946, she was placed in reserve. In August 1947, she was removed from the fleet list and scrapped.

The USS Gridley was introduced in Update 2.57 "Heavy Cavalry". The destroyer has excellent main battery guns, though there are few and they lack the rate of fire of later models. Its anti-aircraft artillery is average, and its survivability and protection are not the best. However, the destroyer has excellent mobility.