USS John W . Thomason ( DD - 760 ) USS " John W . Thomason " ( DD - 760 ) , an , is the only ship of the United States Navy to be named for John William Thomason , Jr . , a USMC officer who was awarded the Navy Cross for bravery during World War I . " John W . Thomason " ( DD - 760 ) was launched by Bethlehem Steel Co . , San Francisco , California , 30 September 1944 ; sponsored by Mrs . John W . Thomason , widow of Colonel Thomason ; and commissioned 11 October 1945 , Commander W . L . Tagg in command . Initial operations . The new destroyer conducted shakedown training out of San Diego , followed by a series of Naval Reserve training cruises from Seattle and San Francisco . From November 1947 to December 1948 the ship carried out training maneuvers . She sailed 5 December 1948 for her first deployment to the Far East , arriving Tsingtao 1 January 1949 for operations supporting the marines ashore in China . Departing 24 May 1949 , " John W . Thompson " returned via Okinawa to San Diego 23 June 1949 and spent the remainder of the year training . Korea . The ship returned to the Far East in early 1950 , arriving Yokosuka 29 January . During this critical post - war period , she operated with British ships on training maneuvers off the coast of Indochina and Korea , returning to San Diego 25 April 1950 . Two months later , North Korean aggression plunged the United States and the United Nations into the Korean War . " John W . Thomason " sailed 30 September to join the 7th Fleet , operating in the screen of carrier task groups pounding enemy positions and supply lines . She arrived Wonsan 9 November to patrol and bombard during the campaign against that port . Antisubmarine exercises took her to Pearl Harbor January – March 1951 , but " John W . Thomason " arrived off Korea again 26 March to operate with and during air strikes . Two weeks in April were spent on the important Formosa Patrol , after which she returned to the carrier task force . With battleship and another destroyer , she moved close in 24 May 1951 for gun bombardment of Yang Yang . The veteran ship returned to San Diego from this deployment 2 July 1951 . " John W . Thomason " sailed again for Korea 4 January 1952 and resumed operations with Task Force 77 off the coast of North Korea . She fired at railway targets 21 February in the Songjin area . During this period of stalemate on land , Navy strikes made up the bulk of offensive operations . The destroyer returned to Formosa Patrol duty in April . Back at Songjin and Wonsan 26 April , the ship screened larger units , took part in shore bombardment , and patrolled offshore . She was relieved by a British destroyer 21 June and returned to San Diego 11 July 1952 . The destroyer operated off the California coast for the remainder of 1952 , then sailed once more for Korea 21 February 1953 . Formosa Patrol duty alternated with carrier task force operations off North Korea . " John W . Thomason " arrived Wonsan harbor 2 July ; while firing at shore targets five days later , she received numerous shrapnel hits in a duel with enemy batteries . Maneuvering in the restricted waters , Commander Ratliff skillfully returned the fire until three batteries had been silenced . She continued to operate off Wonsan until the armistice 27 July , and after a brief stay in Japan arrived San Diego 22 September 1953 . 1954 - 1963 . From 1954 - 1956 " John W . Thomason " returned to the now - familiar waters off Korea and in the explosive Formosa Strait , serving with 7th Fleet to keep the peace and protect American interest in the strategic area . The first half of 1957 was spent in readiness exercises off San Diego . " John W . Thomason " then sailed 29 July for a cruise which took her to Pago Pago , Auckland , and Manus . Upon arrival , Yokosuka 7 September 1957 she resumed operations in the Formosa Straits and antisubmarine exercises with 7th Fleet ships . The ship returned to San Diego 8 January 1958 , and conducted manoeuvres off California and Hawaii . In March 1959 , " John W . Thomason " entered Long Beach Naval Shipyard as prototype ship for the new Fleet Rehabilitation and Modernization ( FRAM ) program . During this extensive repair and modernization period she received a helicopter deck and hangar aft , variable depth sonar , the latest electronic equipment , and many improvements in living and working spaces . The conversion was followed by extensive trials and local training operations . As new flagship of Destroyer Division 72 , she sailed 8 March 1961 for 7th Fleet duty . After further operation " John W . Thomason " sailed to San Diego , arriving 18 September 1961 . Extensive conversion and installation of new sonar equipment at Long Beach occupied the ship until July 1962 . In December she took part in a massive antiaircraft exercise with units of the 1st Fleet off California . She sailed again for the Far East , a part of the ready - hunter - killer group . En route , however , she took part in recovery operations for Project Mercury as part of a task unit built around veteran carrier " Kearsarge " . During the cruise which followed , the ship perfected her antisubmarine warfare tactics and became familiar with her new equipment in operations with 7th Fleet and the Japanese Maritime Self - Defense Force . " John W . Thomason " returned to San Diego 3 December 1963 . Vietnam . Most of 1964 was spent in ASW exercises in the Eastern Pacific . On 23 October , she sailed with Destroyer Division 213 for redeployment exercises in Hawaii . Exactly a month later , with four other destroyers , she got under way for the western Pacific screening , arrived Yokosuka , Japan , 4 December and joined the 7th Fleet . In the spring she earned her first battle star for operating in the troubled waters off the coast of Indochina from 21 March to 28 April 1965 . After returning to the West Coast , she departed San Diego for the Far East 22 March 1966 and reached Da Nang 19 April and the same day took station a few miles south of Chu Lai . At the end of April she supported Operation Osage , and landed north of Da Nang . On 13 May she sailed for Sasebo and upkeep . Back in the war zone 6 June , she provided gunfire support and supported Operation Deckhouse 1 from 17 to 23 June . That day she retired toward Hong Kong . The destroyer returned to gunfire support duties off South Vietnam 16 August . From the 18th to the 23rd she supported the amphibious Ready Group and Special Landing Force in Operation " Deckhouse III . " After visiting Guam and Japan , " John W . Thomason " headed home 9 September , reached San Diego on the 24th and operated off the West Coast into 1967 . " John W . Thomason " received seven battle star s for Korean service and three for Vietnam service .