USS J . R . Y . Blakely ( DE - 140 ) USS J . R . Y . Blakely ( DE - 140 ) was an Edsall - class destroyer escort built for the U . S . Navy during World War II . She served in the Atlantic Ocean and the Pacific Ocean and provided destroyer escort protection against submarine and air attack for Navy vessels and convoys . She was named in honor of Rear Admiral John Russell Young Blakely who was born 17 July 1872 in Philadelphia , Pennsylvania , and graduated from the U . S . Naval Academy in 1892 . " J . R . Y . Blakely ( DE - 140 ) " was launched by Consolidated Steel Corp . , Ltd . , Orange , Texas , 7 March 1943 ; sponsored by Miss Mary Young Blakely , niece of " Rear Admiral Blakely " ; and commissioned 16 August 1943 , Comdr . J . H . Forshew in command . World War II Atlantic Ocean operations . " J . R . Y . Blakely " conducted her shakedown training out of Bermuda during September 1943 , returning to Charleston , South Carolina , 22 September to prepare for convoy duty in the Atlantic . She sailed 4 October from Norfolk , Virginia , with a convoy for the Mediterranean ; and , after transporting precious supplies safely to Casablanca , returned to New York 16 November . J " . R . Y . Blakely " made another round trip voyage to Casablanca December 1943 through January 1944 , and a third during February through March 1944 , as American ships began the great buildup in Europe . After voyage repairs the escort vessel was assigned to a hunter - killer group built around an escort carrier . She sailed from New York 30 March 1944 and rendezvoused with USS Core ( CVE - 13 ) and her escorts in the Atlantic to search for German submarines . After a vigilant search and stops at Newfoundland and Casablanca the ship reached New York 30 May 1944 . " J . R . Y . Blakely " was soon at sea again , joining the USS Wake Island ( CVE - 65 ) group at Norfolk 15 June . During June and July the ships intensified the hunt for U - boats , and covered the all - important supply convoys in the Atlantic . After a short stay in Casablanca harbor , the group was sent by Admiral Royal E . Ingersoll to search for German weather picket submarines , and by 2 August the escorts had found U - boat U - 804 . In the engagement which followed , USS Fiske ( DE - 143 ) was torpedoed and sunk . " J , R . Y . Blakely " made several depth charge attacks before retiring to protect Wake Island . She returned to New York 16 August 1944 . Sinking of German Submarine U - 1062 . The veteran ship conducted training operations in Casco Bay , Maine , for several weeks , but departed Norfolk 8 September with another hunter - killer group , led by USS Mission Bay ( CVE - 59 ) . On this cruise the escort vessel took part in her first successful attack , as the Mission Bay group was sent to break up a suspected meeting between cargo submarine U - 1062 and another submarine . The USS Tripoli ( CVE - 64 ) group helped maintain an around the clock search , and on 30 September USS Fessenden ( DE - 142 ) , USS Howard ( DD - 179 ) and " J . R . Y . Blakely " began to search out a contact . Fessenden ' s depth charge attack sank the submarine , U - 1062 , which was carrying valuable cargo for Germany . Following this success the group moved into the South Atlantic , where because of the great success of allied antisubmarine tactics , contacts were scarce . After visiting Bahia , Brazil , and Cape Town , South Africa , " J . R . Y . Blakely " arrived New York 27 November 1944 . During December the ship conducted additional training in the Caribbean , after which she sailed 16 January 1945 to participate In tactics out of Mayport , Florida . After screening carriers and acting as rescue ship , the ship carried out training and escort duties In the Caribbean , arriving New York 9 March 1945 . Sinking of Another German Submarine . As German submarines were known to be moving westward for a final effort against the United States , " J . R . Y . Blakely " again joined an escort carrier group , and with Mission Bay and destroyer escorts set up barrier patrol north of the Azores as part of Operation Teardrop . The ships departed 27 March , and in the cruise which followed sank one of the U - boats , combining with other hunter - killer groups to foil the German plans . " J . R . Y . Blakely " returned to New York 14 May , her important work in the Atlantic completed . Transfer to the Pacific Theatre of operations . Following carrier training operations , fdick ship sailed for the Panama Canal , arriving 19 July 1945 , and joined the Pacific Fleet . She reached San Diego , California , 29 July for onward routing to Pearl Harbor , where the ship celebrated the end of organized hostilities 15 August 1945 . " J . R . Y . Blakely " departed 27 August , however , to perform escort duties among the island bases of the western Pacific . The ship also aided in the occupation of many small islands before arriving San Diego , California , 23 January 1946 . Post - War Decommissioning . " J . R . Y . Blakely " steamed via the Panama Canal to New York 15 February , and after pre - inactivation overhaul arrived Green Cove Springs , Florida , 13 March 1946 . She decommissioned 14 June 1946 and was placed in reserve , later moving to the Texas Group . She was struck from the Navy list on 2 January 1971 , and sold for scrapping 22 August 1973 .