USS Fullam ( DD - 474 ) USS " Fullam " ( DD - 474 ) was a " Fletcher " - class destroyer in the United States Navy during World War II . " Fullam " was named for Rear Admiral William Fullam ( 1855 - 1926 ) . " Fullam " was launched 16 April 1942 by Boston Navy Yard ; sponsored by Miss Mariana F . Welch , granddaughter of Rear Admiral William Fullam ; and commissioned 2 March 1943 , Commander H . C . Daniel in command . History . " Fullam " served briefly as an east coast escort , then arrived at San Diego , California , 28 June 1943 . After training in the Hawaiian Islands , she arrived at Efate , New Hebrides , 28 August for escort and patrol duties in the Solomons . From 1 November , when she covered the landings on Cape Torokina , " Fullam " guarded convoys carrying reinforcements and supplies to Bougainville as well as bombarding enemy installations in the Empress Augusta Bay area 25 January 1944 . Four days later , at Vella Lavella , transports " Fullam " screened , embarked a mixed reconnaissance party of New Zealanders and American sailors , which was landed on the Green Islands , 30 January . The party was reembarked that night , and the landings in force by New Zealand troops on the Green Islands took place 15 February , as " Fullam " and her task force provided protective cover . Through the next 3 months , " Fullam " continued her patrol , escort , and bombardment missions in the Solomons , joining in the landings on Emirau 20 March 1944 . After training and replenishment at Port Purvis and Espiritu Santo , the destroyer joined the 5th Fleet for the assault on the Marianas . She arrived off Tinian 12 June for the bombardments on Tinian and Saipan which began the next day and continued until the landings of 15th . Ordered west to search for an enemy task force known to be moving into position to oppose the landings , " Fullam " rejoined the carrier task force 19 June as the Battle of the Philippine Sea opened . During this 2 - day engagement , she joined in the general firing which combined with fighter actions brought down the vast majority of the Japan ese naval aviation as an effective element in the war . Completing her assignment in the Marianas with duty screening the cruisers bombarding Guam as well as firing on targets there herself , " Fullam " departed the Marianas 10 August for Eniwetok . After training at Guadalcanal , " Fullam " sortied from Port Purvis 6 September 1944 for the assault on the Palau Islands . Six days out , she and " Noa " ( APD - 24 ) collided , " Noa " sinking in 6 hours , and " Fullam " being badly damaged . Despite this , " Fullam " not only rescued all of " Noa ' s " men , but also carried out daily shore bombardment and night harassing fire , as well as covering the work of underwater demolition teams , as Peleliu was assaulted , then sailed for temporary repairs at Manus and a west coast overhaul . " Fullam " returned to Pearl Harbor for training 24 December 1944 , then sailed for picket duty off Pagan Island before reaching Saipan 15 February 1945 . Here she joined a task group for the Iwo Jima assault , sailing 16 February to serve as screen and fire - support ship during the assault and the bitter fighting which followed until 28 February . After replenishing at Leyte , she sailed 27 March in the screen of an escort carrier group for the Okinawa operation . After providing air cover to the landings of 1 April , her group began continual strikes on the airfields on the Sakashima Clunto from which suicide flights were launched by the Japanese . On 4 May , while screening " Sangamon " ( CVE - 26 ) with another destroyer , " Fullam " fired on a group of four kamikaze s attacking the carrier . The screening destroyers shot down three of the attackers , but the fourth crashed the escort carrier ' s flight deck , forcing many of her men over the side . Three were saved by the destroyers , who stood by as " Sangamon " extinguished the huge fire . From 13 May 1945 , " Fullam " was assigned to antisubmarine patrol and antiaircraft fire support off Hagushi Beach , as well as antiaircraft fire support ship for fighter - director ships on radar picket stations away from the island . She sailed from Okinawa 1 July to escort landing craft to Guam , and an escort carrier from Guam to Eniwetok . Assigned to operate with carriers against northern Japan , " Fullam " cleared Eniwetok 11 August for Adak , but arriving after the close of hostilities , instead took up escort and patrol duties in the Aleutians until entering Puget Sound Naval Shipyard 13 November . In March 1946 she sailed south to San Diego , where she was placed out of commission in reserve 15 January 1947 . Honors . " Fullam " received seven battle star s for World War II service .