Please report any broken links or trouble you might come across to the Webmaster. Webmaster. Please take a moment to let us know so that we can correct any problems and make your visit as enjoyable and as informative as possible.

NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

USS Gillis (AVD-12)
ex
 USS Gillis (DD-260) (1920 - 1941)
 USS Gillis (Destroyer # 260) (1919 - 1920)

International Radio Call Sign:
November - Echo - Romeo - Romeo
 NERR
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons


Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - Combat Action Ribbon (retroactive, 20 July 1943) - American Defense Service Medal (with bronze star in lieu of Fleet clasp)
Bottom Row - American Campaign Medal - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (2) - World War II Victory Medal
Clemson Class Destroyer:
  • Laid down, date unknown, as Gillis (Destroyer # 260) at Bethlehem Steel Corp., Quincy, MA.
  • Launched, 29 May 1919
  • Commissioned USS Gillis (Destroyer # 260), 3 September 1919, at Boston, LCDR. Webb Trammell in command
  • Reclassified DD-260 in the Navy's fleet-wide assignment of alphanumeric hull numbers, 17 July 1920
  • Decommissioned, 26 May 1922, laid up in reserve at the Destroyer Base, San Diego, CA.
  • Withdrawn from reserve, commissioned in ordinary, 28 June 1940
  • Redesignated AVD-12, 2 August 1940
  • Placed in full commission as USS Gillis (AVD-12), 25 March 1941
  • During World War II USS Gillis was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater and participated in the following campaigns:

    Asiatic-Pacific Campaigns
    Campaign and Dates Campaign and Dates
    Aleutians operation
    Attu occupation, 1 to 2 June 1943     		Okinawa Gunto operation
    Assault and occupation of Okinawa Gunto, 1 to 28 April 1945

  • Decommissioned, 15 October 1945, at San Pedro, CA.
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 1 November 1945
  • USS Gillis earned two battle stars for World War II service
  • Final Disposition, sold for scrapping, 29 January 1946.
    Specifications:
    Displacement; 1,190 t.
    Length; 314' 5"
    Beam; 31' 8"
    Draft; 9' 3"
    Speed; 35 kts.
    Complement; 130
    Boats; 4 LCP(L) landing craft
    Armament
    three single 5"/50 gun mounts
    two single 40mm AA gun mounts
    five single 20mm AA gun mounts
    Propulsion; geared turbines, 26,500shp, two propellers
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		 Size Image Description Contributed
    By
    Gillis
    09561203    		 128k USS Gillis (AVD-12) underway probably in San Francisco Bay, 14 February 1941, while in ordinary and prior to recommissioning on 25 March 1941. The ship appears to be painted in Camouflage Measure One.
    US National Archives photo # 80-G-13141, a US Navy photo now in the collections of the US National Archives.    		 Rick Davis and
    Robert Hurst
    Gillis 61k USS Gillis (AVD-12) underway, date and location unknown.  
    Gillis
    09561208    		 140k USS Gillis (AVD-12) moored pierside at NAS Dutch Harbor AK., 16 June 1942.
    US National Archives photo # 80-G-215414, a US Navy photo now in the collections of the US National Archives.    		 Rick Davis
    Gillis
    09561202    		 125k USS Gillis (AVD-12) tending Motor Torpedo Boat Squadron 13 boats PT-75, PT-82, and PT-79, 21 June 1943, in in Casco Cove, Massacre Bay, Attu Island, Aleutians, 21 June 1943. Note the PBY Catalina flying boat astern of Gillis.
    US National Archives photo # 80-G-K-9454 (Color), a US Navy photo now in the collections of the US National Archives.    		 US Naval History and Heritage Command
    Gillis
    09561207    		 146k USS Gillis (AVD-12) moored pierside at Attu Island, AK., 19 February 1944.
    US National Archives photo # 80-G-225534, a US Navy photo now in the collections of the US National Archives.    		 Rick Davis
    Gillis 132k USS Gillis (AVD-12) leaving the auxiliary floating drydock USS ARD-6 at Dutch Harbor, Alaska, 11 April 1944.
    US National Archives photo # 80-G-386650, a US Navy photo now in the collections of the US National Archives.    		 Robert Hurst
    Gillis
    09561205    		 207k USS Gillis (AVD-12) escorting USS Mantanikau (CVE-101), 17 August 1944. during training exercises off San Diego, CA. Mantanikau provided carrier qualification deck services for the Pacific Fleet during October 1944–July 1945.
    US National Archives photo # 80-G-376610, a US Navy photo now in the collections of the US National Archives.    		 Rick Davis
    Gillis
    09561206    		 112k USS Gillis (AVD-12) escorting USS Takanis Bay (CVE-89), 17 August 1944. during training exercises off San Diego, CA. Takanis Bay provided carrier qualification deck services for the Pacific Fleet between 24 May 1944 and 28 August 1945.
    US National Archives photo # 80-G-372623, a US Navy photo now in the collections of the US National Archives.    		 Rick Davis
    USS Gillis (DD-260 / AVD-12)
    Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)
    Commanding Officers
    02LCDR. Garton, Norman Francis28 March 1942 - 21 August 1942
    03LCDR. Ray, Herman Lamar, USN (USNA 1929)21 August 1942 - 4 May 1943
    04LCDR. Fitts, William Wilson4 May 1943 - 2 January 1944
    05LCDR. Jacobsen, Reuben2 January 1944 - 10 January 1945
    06LCDR. Sullivan Jr., James Charles10 January 1945 - 19 September 1945
    07LT. Goodbody, Carl Samuel19 September 1945 - 15 October 1945
    Courtesy Wolfgang Hechler and Ron Reeves
    Crew Contact And Reunion Information
    U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation - Navy Log
    Back To The Navsource Photo Archives Main Page Back To USS Gillis (DD-260) Page Back To The Seaplane Tender, Destroyer (AVD) Photo Index
    Comments, Suggestions, E-mail Webmaster.
    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
    All pages copyright NavSource Naval History
    Last Updated 2 April 2021