USS Flaherty ( DE - 135 ) USS Flaherty ( DE - 135 ) was an Edsall - class destroyer escort built for the U . S . Navy during World War II . She served in the Atlantic Ocean and provided destroyer escort protection against submarine and air attack for Navy vessels and convoys . She was named in honor of Francis Charles Flaherty , who was awarded the Medal of Honor when he sacrificed his life in the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor 7 December 1941 . When his ship was being abandoned , he remained in a turret holding a flashlight so that all of his men could see their way in order to escape . He himself did not make it out . " Flaherty " was launched 17 January 1943 by Consolidated Steel Corp . , Orange , Texas ; sponsored by Mrs . J . J . Flaherty , sister - in - law of " Ensign Flaherty " ; and commissioned 26 June 1943 , Lieutenant Commander M . W . Firth in command . World War II North Atlantic operations . Between 4 September 1943 and 15 February 1944 , " Flaherty " made three voyages from the east coast to Casablanca on convoy escort duty . At Norfolk on 7 March 1944 , she joined the hunter - killer group formed around USS Guadalcanal ( CVE - 60 ) , sailing for a patrol which took her group across to Casablanca . On the return passage , off Madeira on 9 April , " Flaherty " fired in the action which sank U - 515 , for which she shared in the credit with three other escorts and carrier aircraft . The Capture of German Submarine U - 505 . Returning to New York 27 April 1944 , " Flaherty " rejoined the Guadalcanal group at Norfolk , Virginia , 10 May , and 5 days later sailed on a patrol which was to win the task group a Presidential Unit Citation . On 4 June , in a well - planned and executed operation , her group captured intact U - 505 . The only capture by American forces of a German submarine on the high seas during the war , this dramatic operation provided essential intelligence for future antisubmarine warfare . " Flaherty ' s " role during the action was close screening for Guadalcanal , from which the attack and seizure were directed . She returned to New York from this patrol 22 June . Sinking of German Submarine U - 546 . Between 15 July 1944 and 7 November , " Flaherty " completed two more hunter - killer patrols with the Guadalcanal group , then served as school ship for the Naval Training Center at Miami , Florida . Training in the Caribbean with carriers followed , until she sailed from Mayport , Florida , 9 April for Argentia , Newfoundland . This was her base for duty on the barrier line established in the last months of the European phase of the war to prevent desperate U - boats from penetrating the western Atlantic . On 24 April , USS Frederick C . Davis ( DE - 136 ) was torpedo ed while investigating a submarine contact , and Flaherty dashed to rescue her survivors . After three men had been taken on board , " Flaherty " picked the submarine up by sonar , and moved in to attack . Seven other escorts joined her in the 10 - hour hunt , which resulted in forcing U - 546 to the surface , where she was sunk by gunfire . She recovered five of the U - boat ' s survivors , including the commanding officer . " Flaherty " returned to New York 11 May 1945 , and 2 weeks later sailed on convoy escort duty to Le Havre , France , and Southampton , England . She returned to duty guarding carriers training off Norfolk and Charleston , South Carolina , until arriving at Green Cove Springs , Florida , 12 January 1946 . Post - War Decommissioning . There she was decommissioned and placed in reserve 17 June 1946 . She was struck from the Navy list on 1 April 1965 and sold for scrap on 4 November 1966 . Awards . In addition to the Presidential Unit Citation , " Flaherty " received four battle stars for World War II service .