USS Kalk ( DD - 611 ) USS " Kalk " ( DD - 611 ) was a " Benson " - class destroyer in the United States Navy during World War II . She was the second ship named for Lieutenant Stanton Frederick Kalk . " Kalk " was laid down 30 June 1941 by the Bethlehem Steel Corporation , San Francisco , California ; launched 18 July 1942 ; sponsored by Mrs . Flora Stanton Kalk , mother of Lieutenant Kalk ; and commissioned 17 October , Lieutenant Commander C . T . Singleton , Jr . , in command . Service history . Following shakedown along the California coast , " Kalk " departed San Francisco 28 December for patrol and escort duty in the Aleutian Islands . Steaming via Dutch Harbor , she arrived Adak 9 January and patrolled from Adak to Amchitka Island . On the 16th , she embarked 185 survivors of and which had foundered in an Arctic storm . She transported them to Adak , then continued intermittent patrols until she sailed 26 February for home , arriving San Francisco 4 March . After repairs , " Kalk " steamed from San Francisco 7 April and proceeded via the Panama Canal to New York , where she arrived a fortnight later for Atlantic convoy escort duty . She cleared New York 28 April , and the next day joined a 35 - ship convoy , UGF - 8 , headed for Oran , Algeria . Arriving 12 May , she searched for a suspected U - boat . The destroyer departed Casablanca , French Morocco , 19 May escorting a westbound convoy . Arriving New York 31 May , she sailed 13 June via Casco Bay , Maine , and NS Argentia , Newfoundland , to Norfolk for further convoy - escort duty . From 27 June to 6 December she escorted three convoys between the United States and North Africa . After overhaul at New York and Boston , she arrived Norfolk 29 December and then sailed 2 January 1944 for the Pacific . She departed Balboa , Canal Zone , 8 January with DesDiv 38 , escorting and . Reaching Funafuti , Ellice Islands 27 January , " Kalk " searched for downed fighter planes before sailing for New Guinea 31 January to join the 7th Fleet at Milne Bay 7 February . She operated in the New Guinea area , primarily on patrol and convoy escort duty , until 12 June . During the protracted struggle for New Guinea , she also covered amphibious invasions , bombarding Manus , Pityilu , Los Negros , and Rambutye Islands , Admiralties : Tanahmerah Bay and Wakde - Sarmi , New Guinea ; and Biak and Owi , Schouten Islands . After providing fire support during the invasion of Biak Island 27 May , " Kalk " continued escort and picket duty between Biak and Humboldt Bay . While on patrol 12 June off the southern coast of Biak , an enemy plane dived out of the sun and released a bomb which struck abaft her forward stack at the base of her starboard torpedo tubes . As " Kalk " s 20 mm gunfire downed the attacker , the bomb exploded the air flasks of her torpedoes , destroying several 20 mm guns , showering her crew with shrapnel , and damaging her superstructure amidships . Though suffering 70 casualties , her crew rallied to save the destroyer . Firefighters extinguished each blaze ; and , while other hands tended the wounded , volunteers detached the warheads from torpedoes scattered about the deck . The only Allied ship seriously damaged in more than 2 weeks of repeated air attacks at and near Biak , " Kalk " retired to Hollandia , New Guinea , for emergency repairs and sailed 20 June via the Admiralties and Pearl Harbor for the United States . Reaching San Francisco 31 July , she received complete repairs and underwent alteration at Mare Island Naval Shipyard . Then the destroyer departed 26 October for Pearl Harbor , arriving 1 November . On 12 November she headed via Eniwetok to Ulithi , Western Carolines , where she arrived 26 November to resume her duty in the western Pacific . For more than 8 months " Kalk " operated out of Ulithi on anti - submarine warfare patrols screening sea logistics forces during offensive operations from Luzon to Okinawa . From 16 to 23 December she patrolled northeast of Luzon during replenishment of the 3rd Fleet . Sailing from Ulithi 29 December , she screened supply units which supported TF 38 during the crucial Lingayen Gulf operations on western Luzon . She continued this duty until returning to Ulithi 27 January 1945 . As a unit of DesDiv 38 , " Kalk " rendezvoused with TG 50 . 8 on 18 February for refueling and replenishment operations of TF 58 during the campaign on Iwo Jima . Returning to Ulithi 6 March , she sailed northward 13 March with TG 50 . 8 to screen logistic support for the 5th Fleet which was then clearing Ryūkyū waters of Japan ese shipping and aircraft in preparation for the invasion of Okinawa 1 April . From then to the end of the war , " Kalk " operated with the 5th and 3rd Fleets off the Ryūkyūs as escort , plane guard , and ASW screen . Concerned primarily with screening supply ships between Ulithi and Okinawa , she destroyed numerous Japanese mines during patrols . While steaming for Okinawa 5 June with logistic support group TG 30 . 8 , she passed through a raging typhoon with destructive winds of more than 90 knots . Suffering only minor damage , " Kalk " continued screening patrols . When the war ended 15 August , she was steaming from Okinawa to Ulithi . Departing Ulithi 20 August , " Kalk " sailed via Saipan and Okinawa to Japan , arriving Tokyo Bay 1 September escorting . Present at the formal Japanese surrender 2 September , she departed the 3rd on an escort run to Eniwetok . After returning to Tokyo Bay 16 September , she departed for the United States 12 October via the Philippines , Eniwetok , and Pearl Harbor . Reaching San Diego 17 November , she proceeded on the 17th for the East Coast , arriving Boston 11 December . After overhaul , she departed Boston 18 January 1946 and arrived Charleston , South Carolina on the 20th . " Kalk " decommissioned at Charleston 3 May 1946 , entered the Atlantic Reserve Fleet at Orange , Texas . " Kalk " was stricken from the Naval Vessel Register in June 1968 . She was sunk as a target in March 1969 . Awards . " Kalk " received eight battle star s for World War II service .