USS Herbert C . Jones ( DE - 137 ) USS Herbert C . Jones ( DE - 137 ) was an Edsall - class destroyer escort built for the U . S . Navy during World War II . She served in the Atlantic Ocean and provided destroyer escort protection against submarine and air attack for Navy vessels and convoys . She was named in honor of Herbert Charpoit Jones , who was awarded the Medal of Honor posthumously for his brave actions during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on 7 December 1941 . She was launched 19 January 1943 by the Consolidated Steel Corp . , Orange , Texas ; sponsored by Mrs . Joanne Ruth Jones , widow ; and commissioned 21 July 1943 , Lt . Comdr . Alfred W . Gardes , Jr . , in command . North Atlantic operations . After a Caribbean shakedown , " Herbert C . Jones " reported to the Naval Research Laboratory , Washington , D . C . , to participate in experiments on the method of control used by the Nazi s in their glider bombs . Testing radio - jamming equipment . The new destroyer escort departed Norfolk , Virginia , 7 October for the Mediterranean , arriving Algiers via Gibraltar 16 October to begin a year of escort duty along the North Africa n coast . In a German attack 6 November , " Herbert C . Jones " destroyed one enemy plane . As she escorted a convoy bound from Algiers to Bizerte , " Herbert C . Jones " distinguished herself in an intensive 2 - hour German attack the afternoon of 26 November . In addition to splashing one fighter , the ship studied the performance characteristics of enemy radio - directed glider bombs . As a result of these under - fire investigations , " Herbert C . Jones " and her sister ship were fitted with powerful radio - jamming sets in early December to counteract and misdirect the glider bombs . This new electronic warfare capability was to find almost immediate use as " Herbert C . Jones " patrolled off the Italian coast 22 January 1944 while Allied troops stormed ashore to establish the Anzio beachhead . With her special gear , " Herbert C . Jones " jammed and decoyed into the sea the great majority of the many glider bombs directed at the naval task force . She also intercepted radio messages which enabled her to give warning of impending German air attacks . " Herbert C . Jones " received the Navy Unit Commendation for her work off Anzio . Supporting Operation Dragoon . The destroyer escort saw her next major action as she arrived off the French coast 16 August , D - day plus one , to support Operation Dragoon , the invasion of southern France . After 2 months of antisubmarine patrol , " Herbert C . Jones " reached New York 17 October for overhaul and coastal convoy duty . End - of - war activity . In December 1944 she joined a hunter - killer task force for antisubmarine patrol in the Atlantic out of Norfolk . Remaining on this duty until V - E Day , " Herbert C . Jones " sailed for the Pacific 24 June 1945 after training exercises in Cuba . She was at Pearl Harbor when news of the Japanese capitulation was received 15 August , and from there sailed to the Marshall Islands for precautionary air - sea patrol duty . Post - war decommissioning . " Herbert C . Jones " sailed to Green Cove Springs , Florida , via San Diego , California , the Panama Canal , and New York City 15 March 1946 . She decommissioned and was placed in reserve 2 May 1947 . She was berthed at Philadelphia , Pennsylvania , and struck from the Navy list on July 1972 . She was sold on 19 July 1973 and scrapped . Awards . For her participation in World War II , " Herbert C . Jones " was awarded three battle stars in addition to the Navy Unit Commendation .