USS Irwin ( DD - 794 ) USS " Irwin " ( DD - 794 ) , a " Fletcher " - class destroyer , was a ship of the United States Navy named for Rear Admiral Noble E . Irwin ( 1869 – 1937 ) . " Irwin " was launched 31 October 1943 by the Bethlehem Steel Co . , San Pedro , California ; sponsored by Mrs . Charles A . Lockwood , Jr . , daughter of Admiral Irwin and wife of Vice Admiral Lockwood ; and commissioned 14 February 1944 , Commander Daniel B . Miller in command . World War II . Following shakedown , " Irwin " departed San Diego 26 April 1944 for Hawaii , thence to Eniwetok to stage for the invasion of the Marianas . She sailed 11 June in the screen of escort carriers providing air cover for the invasion of Saipan 15 June 1944 . As the Japanese Mobile Fleet was turned back in defeat from the Marianas in the Battle of the Philippine Sea 19 to 21 June , " Irwin " shot down an enemy torpedo bomber while repelling air attacks on the escort carrier s . " Irwin " bombarded the enemy on Saipan 21 to 29 June , guarded escort carriers covering the invasion of Tinian 23 July , then gave bombardment support to troops fighting on Guam . She next joined the screen of fast attack carriers hitting hard at enemy bases in the Palau Islands , along the coast of Luzon , Okinawa and Formosa . Off the latter enemy - held shore 14 October 1944 , she shot down a torpedo bomber . She assisted in the escort of the bomb - damaged cruiser s " Houston " ( CL - 81 ) and " Canberra " ( CA - 70 ) to safety , then again joined the screen of fast attack carriers giving direct air support to the liberation landings at Leyte , 20 October 1944 . The Japanese fleet made a three - pronged approach to the Philippines 24 October 1944 for the Battle of Leyte Gulf . Planes from " Irwin " ' s carrier task group made destructive bombing runs on the Japanese Center Force of battleship s and cruisers . But land - based Japanese bombers retaliated with heavy air strikes , scoring a lucky bomb hit on light carrier " Princeton " ( CVL - 23 ) . In a heroic saga that brought " Irwin " the award of the Navy Unit Commendation , she braved raging flames , violent explosions , falling debris , and exploding shells as she went alongside " Princeton " . Fighting dense black smoke in a choppy sea , she rigged hoses and fought fires in the forward part of the hangar deck . Later , when an explosion blew off the major portion of the carrier ' s stern , " Irwin " immediately dispatched boats and some of her men dove into choppy seas to rescue survivors . One of the divers was Charles Edward Kahler who was a designated strong swimmer aboard the Irwin . Though damaged herself , the destroyer stood at close quarters until she had rescued 646 men from the sea and from the decks of " Princeton " . " Irwin " headed for Ulithi with " Princeton " survivors as the Japanese Southern Force was largely destroyed in the Battle of Surigao Strait , their carriers destroyed off Cape Engaño , and their powerful battleship - cruiser - destroyer bombardment force turned back in the Battle off Samar . From Ulithi she sailed for overhaul in the San Francisco Naval Shipyard ( 17 November 1944 – 23 January 1945 ) . She then steamed for Hawaii , thence to the Marshalls and finally to Saipan , arriving 14 February 1945 . " Irwin " helped screen attack carriers giving direct air support to the invasion of Iwo Jima , 19 – 23 February 1945 , then pounded Okinawa . She joined in the preinvasion bombardment of Okinawa 27 – 31 March , fighting off repeated attacks from planes , torpedo boats , and suicide craft . On 30 March " Irwin " repelled three Japanese torpedo boat s , sinking one , damaging another , and forcing the other to flee . As Marines stormed the shores of Okinawa 1 April 1945 , she shot down a twin - engined bomber and rescued one enemy survivor from this victim . For 2 months , " Irwin " bombarded enemy artillery positions , machine gun emplacements , troop concentrations , caves and suicide boat hiding places . She shot down a suicide torpedo bomber 12 April 1945 , and scored another kill the 16th as she covered the landings on Ie Shima . Another enemy suicide plane was shot down 21 May . " Irwin " figured in another mercy mission the night of 16 June 1945 when she assisted in the rescue of survivors from destroyer " Twiggs " ( DD - 591 ) , sunk by combined air , torpedo , and suicide attacks . " Irwin " remained off Okinawa until hostilities ceased with Japan 15 August 1945 . She entered Tokyo Bay 31 August and escorted occupation troops between Okinawa and Japan until 28 October when she stood out of Yokosuka for return to San Diego , arriving 15 November 1945 . Following inactivation overhaul , she decommissioned there 31 May 1946 and joined the Pacific Reserve Fleet . 1951 – 1958 . " Irwin " recommissioned 26 February 1951 at Long Beach , California She sailed 12 May for overhaul in the Philadelphia Navy Yard , then shifted to base at Newport , R . I . , 16 December 1952 . She bolstered 6th Fleet strength and readiness in the Mediterranean , January to June 1952 , trained along the eastern seaboard , then sailed from Fall River , Mass . , 1 April 1953 . Steaming through the Panama Canal , " Irwin " called at San Diego and Hawaii en route to join the 7th Fleet in waters off embattled Korea . She guarded the fast attack carriers as they blasted communist targets far inland , and herself joined in the destruction of enemy coastal supply routes and depots by making repeated coastal gunstrikes in support of United Nations troops ashore . Following the uneasy truce , she transited the Suez Canal and called at Mediterranean ports en route to Boston , arriving 2 October 1953 . " Irwin " engaged in coastwise operations out of Newport until 5 January 1955 when she sailed for NATO maneuvers in the North Atlantic , thence into the Mediterranean . She returned to Newport 26 May 1955 , engaging in Atlantic seaboard operations until departure 29 March 1956 to base at Long Beach , California " Irwin " arrived in Long Beach 15 April but soon deployed to spend the summer with the roving 7th Fleet in waters ranging from Japan to Okinawa , the Philippines and Taiwan . She returned to Long Beach 11 August for tactics ranging as far west as Hawaii , again sailing 12 March 1957 to join the 7th Fleet in the Far East . Following patrol of the Taiwan straits , combined fleet maneuvers with SEATO nations , and goodwill visits to ports of the Philippines and Japan , she returned to Long Beach 24 August 1957 for inactivation . She decommissioned 10 January 1958 . " Irwin " received the Navy Unit Commendation and six battle star s for service in World War II and one battle star for Korean War service . " Santa Catarina " ( D32 ) . " Irwin " was transferred to Brazil 10 May 1968 , where she was renamed " Santa Catarina " ( D32 ) . " Santa Catarina " was stricken in 1988 and used thereafter as a practice target . In 1989 ex - D32 was used as target for the first launch of a live Sea Skua missile from a Brazilian Navy Westland Lynx helicopter . Ex - D32 was finally sunk in 1990 .