USS Richard S . Bull ( DE - 402 ) USS " Richard S . Bull " ( DE - 402 ) was a " John C . Butler " - class destroyer escort acquired by the United States Navy during World War II . The primary purpose of the destroyer escort was to escort and protect ships in convoy , in addition to other tasks as assigned , such as patrol or radar picket . She was named in honor of Ensign Richard S . Bull ( 1913 – 1942 ) who was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross . She was laid down 18 August 1943 by Brown Shipbuilding Co . , Houston , Texas ; launched 16 November 1943 ; sponsored by Mrs . Richard S . Bull , Sr . ; and commissioned 26 February 1944 , Lieutenant Commander A . W . Gardes in command . History . World War II . Following shakedown off Bermuda , " Richard S . Bull " departed Boston , Massachusetts , 6 May 1944 , and proceeded via the Panama Canal to Pearl Harbor , arriving on the 30th . Reaching Eniwetok 27 June , she escorted " Long Island " ( CVE - 1 ) and other escort carrier s to Pearl Harbor , arriving 5 July . Returning to Eniwetok , she joined a task force including USS Sangamon ( CVE - 26 ) on 6 August . Arriving at Manus on the 13th , she supported the landings on Morotai 15 September . Departing Manus , she protected carrier forces supporting the landings on Leyte 20 October . She rescued a fighter pilot from " Chenango " ( CVE - 28 ) on the 22d . During the Battle off Samar on the 25th , she operated in group " Taffy One , " about south of the main Japanese attack upon " Taffy Three . " Following a kamikaze attack upon Taffy One , she rescued 24 men from " Suwanee " ( CVE - 27 ) . On the 29th " Richard S . Bull " discovered and rescued 139 survivors of " Eversole " ( DE - 404 ) , sunk by Japanese submarine " I - 45 " off Dinagat Island , Philippine Islands . Nearby , " Whitehurst " ( DE - 634 ) sank " I - 45 " . After transferring the " Eversole " survivors to " Bountiful " ( AH - 9 ) , at Kossol Roads , Palau Island , she proceeded with escort carriers from Manus to Pearl Harbor , arriving 19 November . After escorting " Shamrock Bay " ( CVE - 84 ) to arrival at Manus 22 December , she departed with " Marcus Island " ( CVE - 77 ) , and proceeded via Leyte to the landings 9 January 1945 at Lingayen Gulf , Luzon , Philippine Islands . Proceeding via Ulithi and Saipan , she rescued three aviators from " Natoma Bay " ( CVE - 62 ) on 17 February , and then protected escort carriers supporting the landings on Iwo Jima on the 19th . Departing the Iwo Jima area 10 March , she proceeded via Guam and Ulithi to the Okinawa Gunto . From 1 April to 16 May , she protected escort carriers supporting assault forces on Okinawa . Returning 2 June from Saipan , she continued to guard carrier air operations against Okinawa . Voyaging with " Sargent Bay " ( CVE - 83 ) to arrival at Leyte 23 June , she joined the Philippine Sea Frontier , escorting convoys to Morotai , Hollandia , and Ulithi . She provided medical treatment 30 August to casualties aboard SS " Peter White " , damaged by a mine in the northern Philippines . Following convoy escort duty from Leyte to Ulithi and Okinawa , she departed Leyte 14 October , and steamed via Eniwetok and Pearl Harbor to San Diego , California , arriving 6 November . Decommissioning . She entered the Pacific Reserve Fleet in March 1946 , and remained in the Reserve Fleet until struck from the Navy List 30 June 1968 , and sunk as a target off California , 24 June 1969 . Awards . " Richard S . Bull " received five battle stars for her service in the Pacific War .