USS Hall ( DD - 583 ) USS " Hall " ( DD - 583 ) was a " Fletcher " - class destroyer of the United States Navy , named for Lieutenant Elijah Hall ( 1742 – 1830 ) , who served in the Continental Navy under John Paul Jones . " Hall " was laid down by the Boston Navy Yard 16 April 1942 ; launched 18 July 1942 , sponsored by Mrs . Elizabeth Williams Greenleaf , great - granddaughter of Lt . Hall ; and commissioned 6 July 1943 , Commander J . F . Delaney in command . World War II . " Hall " departed Boston , Mass . 11 August 1943 , for shakedown training off the East Coast , then reported for duty at Norfolk , Va . 28 September . As escort for French transport " Richelieu " , she sailed for Boston 2 October , returning 3 days later . She continued escort duties in the Norfolk and Boston areas until departing 5 November for special duty with " Halligan " ( DD - 584 ) and " Macomb " ( DD - 458 ) . The three destroyers rendezvoused at sea with battleship " Iowa " ( BB - 61 ) , carrying President Franklin D . Roosevelt and other dignitaries to the historic Teheran Conference . After a safe crossing , the escorts were relieved of their duties near Gibraltar 17 November . They performed escort and antisubmarine search duties off western Africa until 6 December , then rejoined " Iowa " for the return voyage of the President and his party . 1944 . Ordered to the Pacific , " Hall " departed Charleston , S . C . 21 December arrived Pearl Harbor 11 January 1944 . She cleared Hawaii 22 January with Rear Admiral Richmond K . Turner ' s Expeditionary Force bound for the capture and occupation of the Marshall Islands , a giant step across the Pacific toward Japan . Sent with three cruiser s and three other destroyers on a special mission to wreck the airfields on Tarao Island during the invasion , " Hall " joined in the devastating bombardment of that island 30 January . Her guns knocked out a gasoline dump with a tremendous explosion , hit several gun emplacements , and then screened the larger ships during the remainder of the firing . Tarao effectively neutralized , the ships then sailed for Kwajalein and the main assault . " Hall " carried out varied duties during the month - long invasion of the Marshalls . She supported the landing of troops on Burnet Island 4 February in the Battle of Kwajalein . During the Battle of Eniwetok , she covered the landings of Engebi Island and supplied gunfire support 18 February ; and furnished starshell illumination for landings 22 to 23 February on Parry Island . After an escort voyage with transports to Pearl Harbor and back between 29 February and 26 March , " Hall " was assigned patrol and lifeguard duties in the Kwajalein area . While searching for a downed Marine flyer 4 April near Wotje she received two 6 inch shells close aboard from an enemy shore battery . Suffering one sailor killed , she returned the fire , continued her search , and finally rescuing the airman . " Hall " continued her effective role in the overwhelming amphibious victory until departing Majuro atoll 12 May for Pearl Harbor , where she arrived 18 May . " Hall " next joined the escort for a group of 12 fleet oiler s whose job it was to supply vital fuel to units of the 5th Fleet during the Marianas operations . She made two fueling voyages from Majuro to the Marianas , then shifted her base to Seeadler Harbor , Admiralty Islands , 26 August to screen refueling and ' replacement units during the operations for the capture of the Carolines . " Hall " continued this duty until 24 November . Getting underway from Manus Island 29 November , " Hall " steamed to Humboldt Bay , New Guinea , to join 7th Fleet for the developing invasion of the Philippines . Convoying troop - laden amphibious ships , she arrived Leyte Gulf 7 December 1944 , and 4 days later steamed out of San Pedro Bay for Mindoro Island with the Mindoro Attack Group . As the ships passed through Surigao Strait and into the Sulu Sea , they underwent frequent severe air attack , but the escort ships succeeded in downing four aircraft 13 December . " Hall " and the other escorts supported the landings at Mangarin Bay 15 December ; and , as Japanese planes bombed and strafed the first wave of assault troops , " Hall " patrolled and fired from her station to seaward of the landing craft . The gunfire and covering aircraft splashed 15 dive - bomber s during the initial landings . 1945 . After two escort voyages to Leyte Gulf , " Hall " joined Admiral Jesse B . Oldendorf ' s support force for the landings at Lingayen Gulf . Sailing 30 December , she steamed via the Sulu Sea for Luzon . On 3 January 1945 , the group encountered desperate , but determined , enemy air strikes , which were repelled by tight air cover and effective gunfire . The Japanese attacks intensified , however ; and the ships remained at nearly continuous battle station s for more than 4 days . Brave men in these gallant ships inflicted heavy damage on the attackers . Japanese kamikaze s , in turn , fatally hit " Ommaney Bay " ( CVE - 79 ) 4 January , and the burning , abandoned escort carrier was sunk by American torpedo es . The next 2 days brought even heavier Japanese attacks . Despite the withering curtain of fire laid down by " Hall " and other ships of the group , the suicide raiders crashed more than 16 ships , including " California " ( BB - 44 ) and " New Mexico " ( BB - 40 ) . Undaunted , the valiant ships bore the brunt of the kamikazes with resolute courage and determination . In doing so , they repelled the menace of the suicide planes and saved the transport and assault forces from certain destruction . Following the successful amphibious assaults in Lingayen Gulf 9 January , " Hall " continued to operate in the Gulf where she served as an escort and screen ship . Later in the month she returned to Leyte before departing for Ulithi 29 January . At Ulithi " Hall " joined in the preparations for the upcoming Iwo Jima operation . On 15 February she joined a fire support unit , which included flagship " Texas " ( BB - 35 ) , west of Saipan and set course for Iwo Jima . The force arrived off Iwo the next day ; and , after joining in a heavy shore bombardment , " Hall " covered underwater demolition team s and furnished close fire support for minesweeper s until the troops stormed ashore 19 February . After performing additional patrol and close fire support missions during this fiercely fought and strategically important invasion , " Hall " returned to Ulithi 12 March to prepare for the invasion of Okinawa , the last step on the long , bloody road to the heart of the Japanese Empire . " Hall " departed for Okinawa 21 March with Task Force 54 ( TF 54 ) . She began patrolling off that fiercely contested island 25 March . Her gunfire drove off two Japanese torpedo boat s 30 March , and shot down two aircraft 6 April . Continuing her operations she covered minesweepers with gunfire , screened heavy units of the fleet , and provided close support gunfire until steaming to Leyte 28 May . She soon returned to the scene of the action , arriving back at Okinawa 13 June . Her lookouts observed " Twiggs " ( DD - 591 ) strike a mine off the beach 16 June . " Hall " immediately came to the rescue , pulling 48 survivors from the water . Detached from duty off Okinawa 23 June , " Hall " sailed for the United States . She was in overhaul status at San Pedro , Calif . , when news of the Japanese surrender came . She reported to San Diego for inactivation , and decommissioned 10 December 1946 , and entered the Pacific Reserve Fleet at Long Beach . The destroyer was taken out of reserve 2 December 1959 , and , after a training period was loaned to Greece under the Military Assistance Program 9 February 1960 . HNS " Lonchi " ( D - 56 ) . The ship was accepted on 9 February 1960 by Cdr C . Moschos HN . She served in the Hellenic Navy as HNS " Lonchi " ( D - 56 ) . Decommissioned on 1 October 1990 , " Lonchi " was stricken 10 October 1990 . She was scrapped in 1997 at Aliağa , Turkey . Awards . " Hall " received eight battle star s for World War II service .