USS Humphreys (DD-236/APD-12) was a Clemson-class destroyer in the United States Navy during World War II. She was named for Joshua Humphreys, a pioneer US shipbuilder. Construction and commissioning Humphreys was launched 28 July 1919 by New York Shipbuilding Corporation; sponsored by Miss Letitia A. Humphreys, great-granddaughter of Joshua Humphreys; and commissioned at Philadelphia 21 July 1920. 1920s After completing her shakedown training in New England waters, Humphreys sailed 14 August for special duty in the Mediterranean. For the next year she operated primarily in the eastern Mediterranean with Turkish ships, protecting American and Turkish interests in the area during the conflict which followed the Russian Revolution. Humphreys did surveying work and acted as station and communications ship. In November 1920 she evacuated civilians from the Crimea during the last stages of the Russian civil war, and, until August 1921, operated off Palestine, Turkey, and Egypt on maneuvers. She sailed from Constantinople 6 August 1921, arriving Newport, Rhode Island 23 August, and spent the rest of the year in training operations. Humphreys spent the next 2 years on ship and fleet training exercises in Atlantic and Caribbean waters. She sailed 21 January 1925 via the Panama Canal Zone for San Diego, California, and after her arrival 12 March took part in important fleet maneuvers off the California coast. In June she returned to New York and her regular schedule of training in the Caribbean. Humphreys maintained this operational pattern until decommissioning at Philadelphia 10 January 1930, taking part in annual reserve training cruises during the summers 1926–29. 1930s Humphreys recommissioned at Philadelphia 13 June 1932, and sailed 15 August for maneuvers on the West Coast. The ship took part in two fleet problems, vital tools in perfecting equipment and tactics, before sailing 19 April 1934 for New York. Upon her arrival 31 May Humphreys resumed her readiness operations on the East Coast, taking part in a fleet exercise off Haiti in October. From the Caribbean the ship returned to San Diego 8 November 1934 and for the next year took part in important carrier training exercises in the Pacific. Acting as screen ship and plane guard, Humphreys helped perfect the tactics of aircraft carrier warfare which were to exert a strong influence on the coming war. She remained on the West Coast, with occasional voyages to Pearl Harbor and Midway, until she was decommissioned at San Diego on 14 September