USS Somers ( DD - 381 ) USS " Somers " ( DD - 381 ) was a destroyer commissioned in the United States Navy from 1937 to 1945 . She was the lead ship of the " Somers " - class of destroyer leaders and was named for Richard Somers . During World War II , " Somers " was active in the Atlantic and the Mediterranean Theater of Operations . History . " Somers " was built at Federal , Kearny and commissioned 1 December 1937 . Though active for only eight years she acquired an enviable record . In 1938 she transported a consignment of gold from the Bank of England to New York . On 6 November 1941 , she and the cruiser USS " Omaha " captured the German freighter " Odenwald " which was carrying 3800 tons of scarce rubber while disguised as the American merchantman " Willmoto " . " Somers " also accounted for two other blockade runners , and " Westerland " . " Odenwald " was taken to Puerto Rico . An admiralty court ruled that since the ship was illegally claiming American registration , there were sufficient grounds for confiscation . A legal case was started claiming that the crews of the two American ships had salvage rights because the " Odenwald " crew ' s attempt to scuttle the ship was the equivalent of abandoning her . The court case , settled in 1947 ruled the members of the boarding party and the prize crew were entitled to $ 3 , 000 apiece while all the other crewmen in Omaha and Somers were entitled to two months ’ pay and allowances . This was the last prize money awarded by the US Navy . " Somers " next participated in the Normandy and Southern France invasions providing naval gunfire support as well as serving in the anti - submarine screen . On 15 August 1944 , four hours before H - Hour , D - Day , along the French Riviera , " Somers " encountered and sank the German corvette " UJ6081 " and the sloop " SG21 " at the Battle of Port Cros . Following this action , she moved inshore to give gunfire support to the invasion . For two days she bombarded enemy strongpoints off the coast near Toulon with 5 inch ( 127 mm ) shells and then exchanged fire with enemy shore batteries east of Marseilles . Although " Somers " sustained many hits during this action , she emerged the victor . For the next month , the destroyer operated in the Mediterranean Sea , visiting ports on the southern coast of France , Ajaccio , Corsica , and Oran , Algeria . She steamed out of Oran on 28 September and arrived in New York on 8 October . Somers was overhauled at the Brooklyn Navy Yard until 8 November , then moved to Casco Bay , Maine , for training . On 23 November , she joined the screen of a Britain bound convoy for the first of four transatlantic voyages which closed " Somers " ' combat service . She returned to the United States on 12 May 1945 at the end of her last voyage to the United Kingdom . For the remainder of the war , " Somers " operated along the eastern seaboard and , in July , made one summer cruise to the Caribbean to train midshipmen . Fate . On 4 August 1945 , she put into Charleston , South Carolina , for overhaul and remained until 11 September . Instead of returning to active duty , " Somers " reported to the Commandant , 6th Naval District , for decommissioning and disposal . She decommissioned at Charleston on 28 October 1945 and was retained there until removed by her purchaser , Boston Metals of Baltimore , Md . , on 16 May 1947 . " Somers " was struck from the Navy list on 28 January 1947 . Honors . " Somers " earned two battle stars during World War II .