USS Howorth ( DD - 592 ) USS " Howorth " ( DD - 592 ) was a " Fletcher " - class destroyer built for the United States Navy during World War II . She was laid down on 26 November 1941 , launched on 10 January 1943 , and commissioned on 3 April 1944 at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard in Bremerton , Washington . She was the 161st ship of her class . " Howorth " was named after William L . Howorth , a US Navy sailor who participated in the sinking of the CSS " Albemarle " during the Civil War . World War II service . After a shakedown cruise , " Howorth " was assigned to Destroyer Squadron 21 ( DesRon 21 ) . The flotilla set sail on 22 July 1944 , as part of the escort for a convoy carrying Marines to Pearl Harbor . The convoy arrived after seven days at sea , and " Howorth " remained in Hawaii until 25 August , at which point she sailed for Hollandia , along with the ammunition ship " Sangay " ( AE - 10 ) . " Howorth " was assigned to Destroyer Division 41 ( DesDiv 41 ) , of the 7th Fleet . Her first combat experience was in the Solomon Islands on anti - submarine and escort duty . The Philippines . " Howorth " arrived off Leyte on 22 October , three days after the initial landings began . She guarded the transport anchorages during the Battle of Leyte Gulf , and did not see direct action during the battle . " Howorth " made several convoy trips to Kossol Roads , Guam , and Manus , before returning to the Philippines for the battle at Ormoc on 7 December 1944 . " Howorth " also participated in the Battle of Mindoro , during which she was attacked by several kamikaze s , one of which slightly damaged " Howorth " ' s mast before the plane crashed into the sea . On 9 January 1945 , the Invasion of Lingayen Gulf began . " Howorth " arrived with the first reinforcement group four days later on the 13th , which came under kamikaze attacks while en route . " Howorth " provided fire support to the invasion forces , provided anti - aircraft support for the invasion fleet , and patrolled the flanks of the fleet . Iwo Jima . " Howorth " also took part in the invasion of Iwo Jima , arriving on 19 February . " Howorth " again provided fire support and anti - aircraft protection during the invasion and subsequent fighting on Iwo Jima . On 14 March , " Howorth " departed Iwo Jima for a short rest at Ulithi . Okinawa . " Howorth " was assigned to screen a convoy from Ulithi bound for Okinawa , arriving on 1 April . After arrival at Okinawa , she again provided fire support and anti - aircraft defense . On her first day off Okinawa , " Howorth " was moving to her station with the cruiser " St . Louis " ( CL - 49 ) and destroyer " Newcomb " ( DD - 586 ) , when she was attacked by eight kamikazes . One made it through the ships ' anti - aircraft fire and struck " Howorth " in her superstructure , killing nine men and causing a fire that was quickly put out . Following the damage sustained at Okinawa , " Howorth " returned to the United States for repairs . She arrived at Mare Island Naval Shipyard in California on 2 May 1945 . Repairs were completed by early July , and after a brief shakedown cruise in July , she set sail for Pearl Harbor on 15 July . The ship was en route to Adak , Alaska on 15 August , when the news of the Japanese surrender reached the ship . Post - war . " Howorth " arrived in Yokohama , Japan on 17 September , where she escorted convoys back from Japan . Her final trip from Japan was on 11 November , and arrived in San Francisco on the 28th of that month . The ship was decommissioned on 30 April 1946 , and was placed in the Pacific Reserve Fleet . She remained in reserve until 1962 when she was sunk off San Diego as a torpedo target . " Howorth " received five battle star s for her service during World War II .