USS Twiggs ( DD - 591 ) USS " Twiggs " ( DD - 591 ) , a " Fletcher " - class destroyer , was the second ship of the United States Navy to be named for Marine Major Levi Twiggs ( 1793 – 1847 ) . " Twiggs " was laid down on 20 January 1943 at the Charleston Navy Yard ; launched on 7 April 1943 ; sponsored by Mrs . Roland S . Morris ; and commissioned on 4 November 1943 , Commander John B . Fellows , Jr . , in command . History . Following a shakedown cruise to Bermuda in December 1943 , " Twiggs " operated out of Norfolk as a training ship until 12 May 1944 , when she departed Hampton Roads in company with " Franklin " ( CV - 13 ) , " Cushing " ( DD - 797 ) , and " Richard P . Leary " ( DD - 664 ) and proceeded , via the Panama Canal and San Diego , to Hawaii . After arriving in Pearl Harbor on 6 June 1944 , " Twiggs " took part in exercises and drills in Hawaiian waters and escorted convoys operating between Oahu and Eniwetok . Throughout most of July , " Twiggs " worked out of Eniwetok alternating exercises with escort and radar picket duties . On 19 August , she returned to Pearl Harbor to begin rehearsals for the long - awaited return to the Philippines . On 15 September , in preparation for the assault on Leyte , " Twiggs " departed Pearl Harbor as a member of Destroyer Squadron 49 ( DesRon 49 ) , screening Task Group 79 . 2 ( TG 79 . 2 ) , Transport Attack Group " Baker " , which steamed via Eniwetok for Manus in the Admiralty Islands . After final preparations for the impending invasion , she departed Seeadler Harbor on 14 October . Arriving off Leyte on 20 October , " Twiggs " helped to provide antiaircraft protection for the transports during the landings . In the following days of heavy enemy air activity , she continued to support the invasion and , on one occasion , rescued a downed flier from " Petrof Bay " ( CVE - 80 ) . " Twiggs " departed Leyte on 25 October , steamed via Mios Woendi Island to Manus , and arrived at Seeadler Harbor on 1 November . " Twiggs " next rendezvoused with " Haraden " ( DD - 585 ) and " Halligan " ( DD - 584 ) for escort duty among the Palau Islands . Stationed east of Mindanao , she protected convoys on the approaches to Leyte . On 10 December , " Twiggs " left Kossol Roads , between Peleliu and Angaur , with a task force bound for the occupation of Mindoro Island . Luzon was the key to the liberation of the Philippines , and Mindoro was the first step in the assault on Luzon . From 13 December through the 17th , " Twiggs " provided antiaircraft cover for the force as it steamed through Surigao Strait and the Mindoro Sea . Late in 1944 , Japan began organized and concerted use of kamikaze s . On 13 December , a Japanese suicide plane crashed into " Haraden " ( DD - 585 ) . " Twiggs " aided the severely damaged destroyer , fighting fires and treating casualties . She was then detached from the convoy to guide " Haraden " , which had lost communications and radar in the engagement , until the battered vessel made visual contact with a tow convoy off Silino Island . " Twiggs " then returned to the Mindanao Sea and resumed her duties with the task unit . Army Air Force flights out of Leyte augmented escort protection of the convoy . " Twiggs " retired to the Palaus on 20 December . " Twiggs " sortied from Kossol Roads on 1 January 1945 protecting a large task force intended for the invasion of Luzon . In the Sulu and South China Seas , several ships of the convoy were hit by Japanese plane attacks ; and , on 4 January 1945 , " Twiggs " rescued 211 survivors of " Ommaney Bay " ( CVE - 79 ) , destroyed by fire and explosion following an attack by a suicide plane . Raids by both torpedo and kamikaze planes continued as " Twiggs " operated northwest of Cape Bolinao in support of the Lingayen assault . After taking on food and ammunition at Mindoro , " Twiggs " briefly ran antisubmarine patrol off the entrance of Manganin Bay . Underway on the 21st , she arrived in Ulithi on 25 January for minor repairs and maintenance in preparation for the conquest of the Volcano Islands . " Twiggs " joined Task Force 54 which sortied from Ulithi on 10 February for rehearsals at Loesip Island . On 16 February , the force arrived off Iwo Jima where " Twiggs " quickly began fire support for pre - assault underwater demolition operations off the eastern beaches . She also conducted screening and harassing activities , firing on Japanese shore units and providing illumination . On the 17th , a suicide plane attack on " Twiggs " resulted in a close call when the plane , in an obvious attempt to crash into the destroyer , crossed her fantail before hitting the water off her port beam and sinking without exploding . The destroyer continued activities to support American ground forces during the grueling battle for Iwo Jima . On 10 March , she retired toward the Carolines , arriving at Ulithi two days later for rest and replenishment . On 25 March 1945 , " Twiggs " arrived off Okinawa to take part in the preinvasion bombardment . In addition to anti submarine and antiaircraft patrols , she supported ground forces with night harassing fire . Suicide planes were very active at this time , as the Japanese desperately defended the island . On 28 April , a day of heavy air activity , a kamikaze splashed close aboard " Twiggs " while she was on radar picket duty with Task Group 51 . Bomb blast and fragmentation from the splashed airplane and bomb blew in the hull plating between the main and first platform deck causing structural damage . The underwater body was dished in , and the starboard propeller was bent . " Nestor " ( ARB - 6 ) repaired the damage ; and , on 17 May , " Twiggs " returned to duty with the gunfire and covering forces off Okinawa . In June , the battle for Okinawa was drawing to its close . " Twiggs " continued radar picket duties in the western fire support area and supported strikes on Iheya Shima and Iheya - Aguni with pre - landing bombardment and gunfire support . On 16 June , " Twiggs " was on radar picket duty off Senaga Shima in the western fire support area . At 20 : 30 , a single , low - flying plane dropped a torpedo which hit " Twiggs " on her port side , exploding her number 2 magazine . The plane then circled and completed its kamikaze mission in a suicide crash . The explosion enveloped the destroyer in flame ; and , within an hour , she sank . Despite the hazard of exploding ammunition from the blazing " Twiggs " , 188 survivors were rescued from the oily waters . Among the 152 dead and missing was her commanding officer , Comdr . George Phillip . " Twiggs " was struck from the Navy list on 11 July 1945 ; and , in 1957 , her hulk was donated to the government of the Ryukyu Islands . " Twiggs " received four battle star s for World War II service . See USS " Twiggs " for other ships of the same name .