Ship's Crest:
 Supporters: The crossed officer sword and enlisted cutlass
symbolize cooperation and teamwork.
The Shield: The
sun and the light blue allude to the tropical
waters
of the Philippines, where the first important battle of the
Spanish-American War took place. The wavy fess suggests the ocean
surface, combined with the pheons represent the five of the six ships
that sailed into Manila Bay, destroying the entire Spanish fleet. The
Gold pheon honors the sixth vessel, USS Olympia, that led the Squadron
in line of battle against the Spanish. USS Olympia was the flagship of
the Asiatic Squadron and commanded by Captain Gridley. Red commemorates
sacrifice and Captain Gridley’s wartime service. The trident
symbolizes
naval prowess and the ship’s modern technology of air,
surface and
sub-surface warfare.
The
Crest: The
AEGIS shield highlights USS Gridley’s weapon system
and the destroyer class to which the ship belongs. The terrestrial
globe indicates USS Gridley’s capability to deploy worldwide.
The globe
is positioned on the Pacific theater, the area of Captain
Gridley’s
later naval career. The sea lions symbolize valor at sea; the gold sea
lion refers to Captain Gridley’s leadership and wisdom that
won the
love of his crew, illustrated by the gray sea lion. The collar to
dexter suggests Captain Gridley’s rank and the sinister
collar
signifies the colors traditionally associated with the Navy, Dark Blue
and Gold, representing the sea and excellence.
Motto: Red,
white and blue are the national colors. The motto
translates to 'FIRE WHEN READY' the command that opened the battle of
Manila Bay. The date '1898' is the year of events in Manila Bay and
'2006' is the year USS Gridley was delivered to the United States Navy.
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