USS Little (DD-79)  USS "Little" (DD-79/APD-4), a in the United States Navy during World War I and World War II. She was the first Navy ship named for George Little (1754–1809). "Little" was laid down by Fore River Shipbuilding Corporation, Quincy, Massachusetts, 18 June 1917, launched 11 November 1917, sponsored by Mrs. Samuel W. Wakeman, and commissioned 6 April 1918, Commander Joseph K. Taussig in command. "Little" departed Norfolk, Virginia on 5 May 1918 for convoy escort duty with Patrol Force, Coast of France, and operated from Brest until she sailed for home on 26 December. During this period she escorted President Woodrow Wilson's party to Europe to attend the Paris Peace Conference. The ship arrived Boston, Massachusetts on 18 January 1919 for drydock and operations with Destroyer Force, Atlantic. She escorted the president's party back into New York City from 6 to 8 July, and then engaged in tactical exercises, she was transferred to Reserve Status with ComDesRon 3 at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on 17 November where she remained until 4 January 1921. The ship then operated along the Atlantic coast until she returned to Philadelphia and decommissioned 5 July 1922. Converted to a high-speed transport by having two boilers removed and converted to troop quarters, "Little" was redesignated APD-4, 2 August 1940, and recommissioned 4 November 1940, Lieutenant Commander K. Earl in command. She sailed for the Caribbean in February 1941 for maneuvers with the U.S. Atlantic Fleet, and then steamed to San Diego, California, where she arrived on 9 March for amphibious training. The ship returned to the east coast in late summer, and arrived at Norfolk on 1 December for drydocking. As flagship for TransDiv 12, she departed for San Diego on 14 February 1942 for repairs and alterations. Upon completion of amphibious landing exercises in April, she steamed for Pearl Harbor. A short cruise to Midway Island in late June preceded her departure to New Caledonia on 7 July for the Solomons campaign. Supplies for American troops on Guadalcanal had been badly disrupted by the Battle of Savo Island on 9 August 1942. High-speed destroyer-transports were called upon to remedy this shortage. As she discharged stores and Marine Raiders on the Guadalcanal beaches on 30 August, "Little" witnessed the destruction of by enemy aircraft. The three remaining APDs, "Little", , and , continued to support and help supply the Marines.