USS Hale ( DD - 642 ) USS " Hale " ( DD - 642 ) , a " Fletcher " - class destroyer , was the second ship of the United States Navy to be named for Maine Senator Eugene Hale ( 1836 – 1918 ) . " Hale " was launched 4 April 1943 by Bath Iron Works , Bath , Maine ; sponsored by Mrs . G . H . Chase , granddaughter of Senator Hale ; and commissioned at Boston 15 June 1943 , Commander Karl F . Poehlmann in command . " Hale " conducted shakedown training in the Caribbean and training exercises on the East Coast before departing Halifax for the Pacific combat zone 21 September . She arrived Pearl Harbor via the Panama Canal 9 October 1943 . " Hale " departed 8 November 1943 for the invasion of the Gilbert Islands , the first step in America ' s amphibious sweep across Micronesia . She screened aircraft carrier s in strikes on Tarawa 18 – 20 November , took part in the bombardment of Betio Island 19 November , and supported the landings by Marines next day . During the air attacks that followed , " Hale " ' s gunners accounted for several aircraft . After covering the retirement of damaged carrier " Independence " ( CVL - 22 ) for 2 days she rejoined the carrier striking force for attacks against the Marshall Islands , next target of the Pacific amphibious forces . 1944 . " Hale " to Pearl Harbor 8 December to train the next assault and sailed 21 December for the Ellice Islands . She departed 21 January 1944 for the invasion of the Marshalls , pounding Maloelap and Wotje atolls 29 January to 22 February , before and after the landings . Executive officer LT CDR D . W . Wilson assumed command 2 March . Underway from Kwajalein 11 March , she sailed to Guadalcanal to perform anti - submarine patrol during the loading operations , and departed 27 March escorting reinforcements to Cape Torokina , Bougainville . After acting as antisubmarine screen and screening ship for escort carrier s supporting the Hollandia landings in New Guinea , " Hale " returned to Seeadler Harbor 4 – 7 May . She then steamed to the Solomons for the final rehearsals for the Marianas campaign . The ship then took part in pre - invasion strikes on Guam , returned briefly to Eniwetok 14 July , to support the Guam landings 21 July . " Hale " returned to Eniwetok 4 August 1944 , and departed 6 days later for assault and support operations in Hawaiian waters preparatory to the Leyte landings . She got underway with troop transports bound for Manus on 15 September , and departed 14 October with the Southern Attack Force bound for the Philippines . On 18 October her group was joined by " Nashville " ( CL - 43 ) , with General Douglas MacArthur embarked . " Hale " entered Leyte Gulf early 20 October and helped troop units take Dulag airfield by providing accurate fire support . She then joined Rear Admiral Clifton A . F . Sprague ' s escort carriers 25 October after their valiant fight in the battle off Samar . The destroyer next joined escort screening units for troop reinforcements at Morotai and landed them at Tacloban , Leyte , 14 November . After another such voyage from Hollandia to Leyte in November , aiding the buildup in the Philippines , " Hale " sailed 24 November via New Guinea , the Marshalls , and Pearl Harbor arriving San Francisco 22 December 1944 . 1945 . " Hale " returned to the Pacific war in early 1945 , arriving Pearl Harbor 25 February . Sailing to Ulithi , she departed 14 March with Rear Admiral Forrest Sherman ' s " Essex " ( CV - 9 ) carrier task force to attack enemy air installations prior to the landings on Okinawa . The group suffered casualties , including " Franklin " ( CV - 13 ) and " Wasp " ( CV - 18 ) from air attack 19 – 21 March as " Hale " ' s gunners shot down several of the attackers . Departing the seas off Japan proper , the carrier force screened by " Hale " and other destroyers turned to Okinawa , flying close support and bombardment missions before , during , and after the initial assault 1 April . During the harrowing period off Okinawa " Hale " rescued two fighter pilots , drove off innumerable kamikaze attacks and survived a near miss during a bombing attack . The veteran destroyer departed Okinawa 11 April and after stops at Ulithi and Guam arrived Leyte Gulf in the screen of " South Dakota " ( BB - 57 ) 1 June 1945 . She then escorted " Washington " ( BB - 56 ) to Guam and met tug " Munsee " ( AT - 107 ) , towing the bow section of cruiser " Pittsburgh " ( CA - 72 ) , torn off in the great typhoon off Okinawa , and brought her to Apra Harbor . The ship then sailed to join the 3d Fleet at Leyte Gulf 21 June . " Hale " departed as a unit of Admiral Marc Mitscher ' s famed Task Force 38 , 1 July 1945 , bound for crippling strike against Japan itself . " Hale " took part in shore bombardment of factories at Hamamatsu 29 July . As the war against Japan ended 15 August , " Hale " tool up duties as air - sea rescue ship offshore during the landing of occupation forces . She entered Tokyo Bay 16 September 1945 , and departed 1 October for the United States carrying 100 veterans . She arrived Seattle 19 October 1945 and was placed in commission in reserve at San Diego until decommissioning 15 January 1947 . 1951 – 1960 . With the outbreak of the Korean War and the increase of tension throughout the world , " Hale " was taken out of reserve , commissioning at Long Beach 24 March 1951 . After a shakedown cruise she sailed via the Panama Canal to her new home port , Newport , R . I . , arriving 11 July 1951 . After refresher training she departed 22 April 1952 to serve with the 6th Fleet in Mediterranean waters in support of American diplomacy in this vital and troubled region . After stopping at 16 ports in the course of her operations , " Hale " returned to Newport 23 October 1952 . For the next 1½ years the destroyer performed a variety of tasks : antisubmarine training and development exercises off the $ 3 coast , plane guard duty or carrier operations in the Gulf of Mexico , and a training cruise for midshipmen of the Naval Academy . After a modernization overhaul at Philadelphia Navy Yard , September 1953 to January 1954 , " Hale " departed 1 June 1954 for a world cruise . Transiting the Panama Canal and entering the Pacific she proceeded to the Far East . She formed a part of America ' s ever - present naval strength lending stability to the area . Transiting the Suez Canal 17 November 1954 , she visited many ports in 6th Fleet waters before returning to Newport 18 December 1954 . " Hale " continued her vital pattern of readiness exercises including serving as the Destroyer Force Gunnery School Ship at Newport , until 6 November 1956 . Getting underway for the Mediterranean once more , she rendezvoused with 6th Fleet ships and stood by in the eastern Mediterranean during the Suez crisis , helping to avert a larger conflict and protecting American interests . She returned to Newport 20 February 1957 . In June " Hale " participated in one of the greatest international naval reviews in history , joining some 60 U . S . ships and vessels of 17 other nations in the 350th anniversary of the founding of Jamestown . A second Midshipman cruise and NATO exercises in the North Atlantic closed out 1957 . She began her second world cruise 23 July 1958 , sailing to Naples , through the Suez Canal to India and Japan , and back to San Diego after operations with the 7th Fleet off Taiwan . She returned to Newport port via the Panama Canal 24 November 1958 . In the Mediterranean from August 1959 – February 1960 " Hale " continued a peace - keeping and goodwill role . She returned to Newport 26 February 1959 . After a period of important experimental work in antisubmarine warfare with nuclear submarine s , " Hale " decommissioned at Boston 30 July 1960 . " Hale " received six battle star s for World War II service . ARC " Antioquia " ( DD - 01 ) . " Hale " was transferred to Colombia 23 January 1961 under the Military Assistance Program and served as ARC " Antioquia " ( DD - 01 ) . " Antioquia " was stricken 20 December 1973 and broken up for scrap .