USS Grebe (AM-43)-- Part 2: Sinking A Sub, Hurricane Work and Towing the USS Constitution

Continued from April 23, 2019.

The Grebe's next duty was to depth charge target submarine G-1 (SS-19 1/2) which she did on June 23.  The ship was involved in other operations along the U.S. East Coast until  decommissioned in 1922.  Near the end of the year the Grebe was recommissioned and stationed in the Caribbean.

Hurricane Rescue Work

In 1930, the Grebe rushed to the aide of the Dominican republic where a hurricane had caused much destruction  Carrying trained medical men and emergency supplies, she was the first ship to reach the island where she remained for two weeks.

Towing the USS Constitution

This is where I talked about the Grebe in my Not So Forgotten: War of 1812 blog.

The Grebe returned to Boston in 1931 and on 12 July took tow of the historic sailing frigate USS Constitution.  A long campaign had been waged to provide financing to restore the historic ship to her original condition and the Grebe spent nearly the next three years as her tender and towing ship.

They visited nearly every  major American port on both the East and West Coasts.  Millions of Americans thrilled to the sight of the "Old Ironsides."    Some of the stops were in New York City, Washington, D.C., Norfolk, Key West Galveston, Guantanamo,   Los Angeles, Seattle, Bellingham, Portland and the Panama Canal Zone.

After that, the Grebe was transferred to the West Coast.

It was at Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, and I will write about the Grebe's experience there and in the rest of WW II in my Tattooed On Your Soul World War II blog next month.

--CootTowing