USS Cummings ( DD - 365 ) The second USS " Cummings " ( DD - 365 ) was a " Mahan " - class destroyer in the United States Navy during World War II . She was named for Andrew Boyd Cummings . " Cummings " was a Pacific - based vessel , performing patrol and escort duties before and during World War II . She was present at Pearl Harbor during the Japanese attack on 7 December 1941 , though she escaped major damage or casualties . " Cummings " was decommissioned in 1945 and sold for scrap in 1947 . History . " Cummings " was launched 11 December 1935 by United Shipyards , Incorporated , New York ; sponsored by Mrs . W . W . Mills , niece of Lieutenant Commander Cummings ; and commissioned 25 November 1936 , Commander C . P . Cecil in command . Departing New York 29 September 1937 , " Cummings " arrived at San Diego 28 October to join the Battle Force . She participated in the fleet problem in Hawaiian waters in April 1938 and a Presidential Fleet Review at San Francisco in July . In 1939 the exercises were held in the Panama Canal Zone and the Caribbean from January to April . Returning to San Diego 12 May 1939 , " Cummings " participated in flotilla and fleet training , and served as plane guard for the carriers " Yorktown " ( CV - 5 ) and " Lexington " ( CV - 2 ) . When the security patrol was begun on the west coast in 1940 , " Cummings " served on it intermittently , while continuing to conduct exercises in antiaircraft and submarine tactics , and target practice . " Cummings " was based at Pearl Harbor from 26 April 1940 . Except for a west coast overhaul and a cruise to Tutuila , Samoa ; Auckland , New Zealand ; and Tahiti between 4 March and 3 April 1941 , " Cummings " remained in Hawaiian waters conducting patrols and constantly exercising and drilling . When the Japan ese attacked Pearl Harbor on 7 December 1941 , " Cummings " weathered bombs which fell ahead and astern , receiving only minor casualties from fragments , and sortied on patrol almost immediately . From 19 December 1941 to 4 May 1942 " Cummings " escorted convoys between Pearl Harbor and San Francisco , then sailed between Suva , Fiji Islands , and Auckland , New Zealand . , from 9 June to 13 August on similar duty . After overhaul at San Francisco , " Cummings " escorted a convoy to Noumea , and Wellington , New Zealand , in November 1942 ; then began patrol and escort missions for the Guadalcanal operation from bases at Espiritu Santo and Nouméa until 17 May 1943 when she sailed to Auckland , New Zealand , for brief overhaul . Returning to Nouméa 4 June , " Cummings " screened transports to Auckland in July , and then served at Efate from 5 August until 4 September . Overhauled on the west coast again , " Cummings " joined TF 94 . to patrol off Adak , Alaska , between 1 and 16 December before returning to Pearl Harbor 21 December . 1944 . Assigned to the 5th Fleet , she sortied on 19 January 1944 for the Marshalls operations , accompanying the carriers for air strikes on Wotje and Eniwetok until 21 February . " Cummings " sailed from Majuro 4 March for Trincomalee , Ceylon , where she rendezvoused 31 March with British ships for exercises . She sailed 16 April with British Force 70 to screen during air strikes on Sabang , Sumatra , on 19 April , and then returned to Ceylon until 6 May when she cleared for Exmouth Gulf , Australia . With British Force 66 , she sortied 15 May for air strikes on Soerabaja , Java , then left the British forces and returned by way of Sydney to Pearl Harbor . Arriving at San Francisco 7 July 1944 , " Cummings " sailed 21 July to escort President Franklin D . Roosevelt embarked in " Baltimore " ( CA - 68 ) to Pearl Harbor , Adak , and Juneau . The President and his staff came aboard 8 August for transportation to Seattle and upon arrival there , 12 August , President Roosevelt broadcast a nationwide address from the forecastle of " Cummings " . Departing Seattle 13 August 1944 , " Cummings " joined TG 12 . 5 at Pearl Harbor for an air strike and shore bombardment of Wake Island on 3 September . With the 3d Fleet , she joined in the bombardment of Marcus Island on 9 October , then screened the escort carriers as they launched the supporting air strikes on Luzon , Cebu , Leyte , Samar , and Negros , during the Leyte landings , and gallantly engaged the Japanese in the decisive Battle of Leyte Gulf . She took part in the bombardment of Iwo Jima on 11 and 12 November , and then returned to Saipan 21 November for local duty . She interrupted this duty to join in the repeated strikes on Iwo Jima from 8 December 1944 to 19 March 1945 when she supplied fire support for the invading troops . She was stationed off Iwo Jima , occasionally escorting convoys to Saipan and Guam until the end of the war . Her duties included local convoy escort and control duty , and the important air - sea rescue work that accompanied the intensified strikes on Okinawa and the Japanese home islands . She supervised the occupation of Haha Jima on 9 September , then sailed from Iwo Jima 19 September for San Pedro , California , Tampa , Florida , and Norfolk . " Cummings " was decommissioned 14 December 1945 and sold 17 July 1947 . Honors . " Cummings " received seven battle stars for service during World War II .