USS Ellet ( DD - 398 ) USS " Ellet " ( DD - 398 ) was a " Benham " - class destroyer in the United States Navy during World War II . She was named for five members of the Ellet family of Pennsylvania who rendered service during the American Civil War : Colonel Charles Ellet , Jr . ; Brigadier General Alfred W . Ellet ; Colonel Charles R . Ellet ; Lieutenant Colonel John A . Ellet ; and Edward C . Ellet . The first two officers commanded the Ellet Ram Fleet . History . " Ellet " ( DD - 398 ) was launched 11 June 1938 by Federal Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company , Kearny , New Jersey ; sponsored by Miss Elvira Daniel Cabell , granddaughter of Colonel Charles Ellet , Jr . ; and commissioned 17 February 1939 , Lieutenant Commander F . J . Mee in command . In September and October 1939 " Ellet " operated off the Grand Banks on Neutrality Patrol , then with Destroyer Division 18 out of Galveston with the West Gulf Patrol . Based at San Diego , after 26 February 1940 , she joined in Battle Force maneuvers as far as Hawaii . In the summer of 1941 her home port became Pearl Harbor and in October she brought home an Army survey expedition from Christmas Island to Honolulu . When the Japan ese attacked Pearl Harbor 7 December 1941 , " Ellet " was returning from reinforcing Wake Island in the screen of TF 8 with which she remained throughout December . After a convoy escort voyage to the west coast , she guarded a troop convoy back to Christmas Island in February . In April she screened Carrier TF 16 , which launched B - 25 ' s in the famous Halsey - Doolittle Raid on Tokyo and other Japanese cities and returned to Pearl Harbor the 25th . The same ships raced 5 days later to reinforce the carriers headed for the Battle of the Coral Sea . It was won before " Ellet ' s " force got there , so TF 16 returned to Pearl Harbor . TF 16 sailed from Pearl Harbor 28 May 1942 once more to join Task Force 17 ( TF 17 ) . Together they turned back the Japanese fleet in the Battle of Midway on 4 , 5 and 6 June . The Japanese lost four carriers , many aircraft , a number of irreplaceable aviators . " Ellet " returned to Pearl Harbor 13 June to prepare for invading the Solomons , first American land offensive of the war . " Ellet " arrived off Guadalcanal 7 August 1942 for pre - invasion bombardment , patrolled the transport area , and fought off air attacks . On 9 August she rescued 41 officers and 451 men from " Quincy " ( CA - 39 ) and 1 man from " Astoria " ( CA - 34 ) , sunk in the Battle of Savo Island the night before , then joined " Selfridge " ( DD - 357 ) in the duty of sinking the hulk of HMAS " Canberra " , hopelessly battered in the same battle . While escorting transports deadheading back to Nouméa , " Ellet " was detached 12 August to screen the " Enterprise " ( CV - 6 ) task force covering reinforcement and supply of the Solomons . She got back to Pearl Harbor 10 September . Out of Espiritu Santo " Ellet " patrolled to the Solomons with TF 16 from November 1942 until May 1943 , then returned to Pearl Harbor . Back at Espiritu Santo 1 July , she hurried to Tulagi for the consolidation of the northern Solomons . She sailed for overhaul on the west coast in September 1943 . By the end of January 1944 , " Ellet " was back in action , screening carriers about to invade the Marshalls . After a week in Pearl Harbor for repairs , she saw action in New Guinea , supporting the operations at Hollandia in April . Upon her return to Pearl Harbor she joined the 5th Fleet for the invasion of the Marianas , screening diversionary raids on the Bonins , and carriers in the assaults on Saipan and Guam . " Ellet " arrived at Ulithi Atoll 13 October 1944 and was sent to scout neighboring Ngulu Atoll for a proposed secondary fleet anchorage . Troops landed at Ngulu 16 October . When " Montgomery " ( DM - 17 ) struck a mine the 17th , " Ellet " came to the rescue with pumps then towed her in to Ulithi lagoon . At October ' s end , " Ellet " joined the Marianas Patrol and Escort Group . She bombarded Iwo Jima , in December 1944 and the following January . Based on Guam and Saipan , she escorted convoys and patrolled on air - sea rescue station until July 1945 . When hostilities ended , " Ellet " was repairing at Mare Island . She was decommissioned there 29 October 1945 , and sold 1 August 1947 . Honors . " Ellet " received 10 battle star s for World War II service .