USS Haggard ( DD - 555 ) USS " Haggard " ( DD - 555 ) was a " Fletcher " - class destroyer of the United States Navy named for Captain Haggard of the " Louisa " , who fought in the Quasi - War . " Haggard " was launched by Seattle - Tacoma Shipbuilding Co . , Seattle , Wash . , 9 February 1943 , sponsored by Mrs . E . B . McKinney ; and commissioned 31 August 1943 , Commander D . A . Harris in command . " Haggard " departed for shakedown training off California 29 September and after completing it departed Seattle 24 November for Pearl Harbor . The ship arrived 30 November 1943 and spent the next 2 months in tactical exercises with other destroyers in Hawaiian waters . Her first combat operation was to be the forthcoming invasion of the Marshall Islands , next step on the island road to Japan . Central Pacific . The ship sailed 22 January 1944 for the Marshalls . She covered the unopposed landings on Majuro 31 January and then sailed to Kwajalein Atoll . Taking up firing position inside the lagoon 2 February , she provided gunfire support for the advancing Marines until the island was secured 3 days later . Then " Haggard " patrolled and escorted transports in the Kwajalein area until sailing for Engebi , Eniwetok Atoll 17 – 19 February . There the destroyer again provided close fire support with her 5 inch guns , helping to secure Eniwetok . With the Marshalls in American hands , " Haggard " arrived 7 March at Espiritu Santo , New Hebrides . For the next months , " Haggard " operated with 3rd Fleet in the New Guinea - Solomons area . Her duties included reconnaissance patrols , convoying , and screening escort carriers . She also worked occasionally with minecraft and screened a mine laying operation 9 May in the Solomons , passing within 800 yards of an enemy - held beach on Buka Passage . During the night of 16 – 17 May the destroyer was patrolling with " Franks " ( DD - 554 ) and " Johnston " ( DD - 557 ) when she picked up an underwater sound contact . With quickness and accuracy the three ships delivered depth charge attacks and were credited with the sinking of the Japanese submarine " I - 176 " . " Haggard " joined 5th Fleet at Eniwetok 21 May to prepare for the Marianas operation , as America ' s amphibious might pressed across the Pacific . Departing Eniwetok 8 July , " Haggard " arrived Guam with battleship s " Pennsylvania " ( BB - 38 ) and " New Mexico " ( BB - 40 ) and other fleet units 17 July and began a devastating bombardment of the beach fortifications . With the landing on Guam of Marines 21 July , the destroyer turned to close fire support , lending her accurate gunfire to the battle ashore . Next on the timetable of the Pacific island campaign was the Palau group , needed to provide an air base for further advances . " Haggard " was withdrawn from Guam to Espiritu Santo 24 August 1944 and later joined the Western Escort Carrier Group off the Solomons 4 September . During the invasion of Peleliu 15 September " Haggard " screened carrier groups as they provided bombardment and close fire support for Marines ashore . Aircraft from her group also bombarded Ulithi before the ships returned to Manus ' Seeadler Harbor 1 October . Philippines . " Haggard " ’ s next operation was the long - awaited invasion of the Philippines . She was assigned to an escort carrier group off Samar in support of the invasion of Leyte and the fleet surface actions 23 – 25 October . A part of Rear Admiral Felix Stump ' s " Taffy 2 " ( Task Unit 77 . 4 . 2 ) in the Battle off Samar , " Haggard " and her group were surprised on the morning of 25 October by heavy units to the northward under Admiral Takeo Kurita heading toward the invasion beaches on Leyte Gulf . As the carriers of " Taffy 3 " ( TU 77 . 4 . 3 ) retired at top speed and the gallant destroyers , including " Hoel " ( DD - 533 ) , " Heermann " ( DD - 532 ) , and " Johnston " , attacked the Japanese at close range , planes from both carrier groups attacked repeatedly and effectively in the hope of diverting the overwhelming Japanese force and allowing the American light units to escape . " Haggard " took position astern of her carriers to protect them , and took many near misses from the big guns of the Japanese fleet . Although two escort carriers and three destroyers were sunk , quick thinking and the great courage of the attacks saved the smaller American group and inflicted damage on its attackers . Admiral Kurita decided not to steam into Leyte Gulf and returned to the northward . " Haggard " remained with the escort carrier groups through November during air operations in support of the Philippines campaign . After a brief stay at Ulithi 25 November – 10 December , the destroyer joined Task Force 38 ( TF 38 ) in support of the Luzon invasion . Then , 10 – 20 January 1945 , Admiral William Halsey ' s 3d Fleet made a striking incursion into the South China Sea . With " Haggard " and other destroyers screening , the carrier groups struck Luzon , Formosa , Indochina , and the Chinese mainland destroying shipping and airfields in a memorable demonstration of mobile sea power . Japan . The destroyer returned to Ulithi 26 January 1945 , but soon sailed with Task Group 58 . 4 ( TG 58 . 4 ) for strikes against Japan itself . Departing 9 February , the group , including carriers " Randolph " ( CV - 15 ) and " Yorktown " ( CV - 10 ) , hit Tokyo 16 – 17 February , just before the important landings on Iwo Jima . Turning then to that stoutly defended island , " Haggard " ’ s carrier group lent air support to the assault until returning to Ulithi 4 March 1945 . With the Pacific campaign then reaching its climax , " Haggard " sortied again with Vice Admiral Marc Mitscher ' s 5th Fleet carriers for attacks on Japan . During strikes on Honshū 18 – 19 March , Japanese suicide planes struck back at the task force . " Haggard " ’ s gunners shot down several kamikaze s , as carriers " Franklin " ( CV - 13 ) and " Enterprise " ( CV - 6 ) were damaged . After fueling at sea , the fast carrier group , moved toward Okinawa 22 March , with " Haggard " acting as picket destroyer ahead of the formation . Shortly before midnight she detected a surfaced submarine with radar , and after it dived attacked with depth charges . Ten minutes later the submarine surfaced on " Haggard " ’ s port beam . Commander Soballe brought his ship into a hard left turn toward his adversary . With full throttle and guns blazing , " Haggard " rammed the submarine " I - 371 " amidships , sinking her in three minutes . After this daring duel , " Haggard " ’ s crew made emergency repairs to her damaged bow and took her back to Ulithi 25 March . Her repairs completed , " Haggard " sailed from Ulithi 21 April with battleship " Iowa " ( BB - 61 ) to support the Okinawa operation . Again occupied with screening carriers in the area , " Haggard " and other fleet units were constantly threatened by suicide planes as the Japanese tried desperately to stop the invasion . While proceeding to picket station 29 April the ship was attacked by a kamikaze making a shallow dive to starboard . Though nearly blown apart by the fury of the destroyer ' s guns , the aircraft crashed close aboard and penetrated her hull near the waterline . Soon afterward , her bomb exploded in " Haggard " ’ s engine room . As water gushed through the gaping hole in the destroyer ' s side and she began to settle , another suicide plane attacked , but was splashed by anti - aircraft fire . Through fast and skillful damage control the flooding was stopped and " Haggard " was kept afloat . Wounded were taken by cruiser " San Diego " ( CL - 53 ) and destroyer " Walker " ( DD - 517 ) arrived to tow the stricken ship to Kerama Retto , near Okinawa . The ship arrived 1 May 1945 . Hampered by lack of materials and almost constant air alerts , " Haggard " ’ s crew succeeded in repairing her so that she could get underway . She departed Kerama Retto 18 June 1945 and arrived Pearl Harbor via Saipan and Guam 12 July . From there she steamed to San Diego and the Panama Canal Zone , arriving at Norfolk 5 August 1945 . Decommissioned 1 November 1945 , " Haggard " was scrapped because of war damage . Honors . " Haggard " received three battle star s for World War II service . The ship is credited with up to 7 engagements in and around the Pacific during its tour of the war .