Named for Anthony Smalley, a U.S. Navy hero of the Civil War, the USS Smalley (DD-565) was one of more than 100 Fletcher (DD-992)-class destroyers built during World War 11. Commissioned on 31 March 1944, one of her first assignments was as an escort for troop transports to Hawaii, arriving safely with her cargo on 11 July 1944. On 28 July, the Smalley's crew manned the rail for President Franklin Roosevelt's arrival at Pearl Harbor onboard the cruiser Baltimore (CA-68). By November 1944, she was engaged in combat operations in the Aleutian Islands and fired 466 rounds against machine gun emplacements, encampments, and an airstrip on Matsuwa Island. The Smalley took part in three additional bombardment missions before being ordered back to Hawaii.
In June 1945, during the allied invasion of Okinawa, the Smalley was assigned close support radar picket duty and took part in antisubmarine patrols and air defense of the transport area. Her final bombardment of the war took place against Chichi Jima on 23 July 1945. The Smalley returned to the United States in October 1945 and was decommissioned in January 1947. She rested at the Charleston Naval Shipyard until she was called back to action for the Korean War.
Recommissioned on 3 July 1951, the Smalley underwent refresher training off Cuba before arriving at her new home in Newport, Rhode Island. Following a year of training and maintenance, the Smalley sailed for Korea on 19 May 1953. Once in the combat zone, she acted as plane guard for the aircraft carrier Princeton (CVA-37) and continued operations with Task Force 77 for the remainder of the Korean War. The Smalley took part in numerous activities, including transporting Marines from Japan to Korea and rescuing 29 South Korean fishermen from a damaged vessel.
From Rhode Island, the Smalley sailed for Europe in July 1955, visiting Denmark, Finland, Scotland, Spain, France, and Turkey. In August 1965, the Smalley departed for the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard where she was decommissioned. The Smalley remained in the Atlantic Reserve Fleet until she was stricken from the Navy List on I April 1956 and sold to the Norfolk Shipbuilding and Drydock Corporation.