Greiner DE-37

Greiner

Kenneth Frederick Greiner was born in Hibbing, Minn., 27 April 1910 and enlisted as a Seaman, Second Class, 28 September 1935. He became an Aviation Cadet in 1936, underwent 'flight training, and was honorably discharged 7 April 1936. Lt. ( j.g. ) Greiner was appointed to the Naval Reserve 29 March 1941, and after attending un aeronautical engineering course at the University of Minnesota reported to Naval Air Station, Dutch Harbor, Alaska, 1 October 1941. He was killed in enemy action there 4 June 1942 during the Japanese attack on the Aleutians.

(DE-37: dp. 1140, 1. 289'5", b. 35'1", dr. 8'3", s. 21 k.; cpl. 156; a. 3 3", 4 1.1", 9 20mm., 2 act., 8 dcp., 1 dcp. ( h.h. ) cl. Evarts )

Greiner (DE-37), originally intended for Great Britain under Lend-Lease, was launched as BDE-37 20 May 1943 by the Puget Sound Navy Yard, Bremerton, Wash., and commissioned 18 August 1943, Lt. Comdr. F. S. Dowd in command.

Following shakedown and training exercise along the California-Washington coast, Greiner sailed for Pearl Harbor, reaching there 31 October 1943. A series of training and patrol operations kept her in the Hawaiian area until 23 December, when she sailed for recently won Tarawa as flagship of Escort Squadron 28. Greiner spent virtually a year in the Gilberts-Marshalls area, as the great American island offensive swept westward toward Japan. The ship performed a variety of tasks, including the most important Job of escorting transport vessels to the assault areas. She rescued 13 men from a downed PBM 26 January 1944, and shelled Kusaie Island, in- the Carolines, in reply to a salvo from Japanese batteries 1 June 1944.

Greiner spent 3 months at Pearl Harbor for repairs and operations July-October 1944, and after anti-submarine exercises in Hawaiian waters spent December patrolling around Wotje, Mili, Jaluit, and Maloelap atolls, leapfrogged earlier in the war. She spent the remainder of the war in the Gilberts and Marshalls plane-guarding and screening escort carrier forces, except for a short voyage to Okinawa 29 June to 3 July 1945.

Greiner steamed back to the United States from Kerama Retto 3 July 1945, and arrived San Francisco 28 July via Ulithi, Eniwetok, and Pearl Harbor. She decommissioned at Oakland 19 November 1945 and was stricken from the Navy List 5 December. The ship was subsequently sold to J. G. Berkwit & Co. 10 February 1945, and resold in 1947.

Greiner received three battle stars for World War II service.