USS Goss ( DE - 444 ) USS " Goss " ( DE - 444 ) was a " John C . Butler " - class destroyer escort acquired by the U . S . Navy during World War II . The primary purpose of the destroyer escort was to escort and protect ships in convoy , in addition to other tasks as assigned , such as patrol or radar picket . Post - war she proudly returned home with four battle stars to her credit . " Goss " ( DE - 444 ) was named in honor of Marine Gunner Angus R . Goss who posthumously received the Navy Cross and Britain ’ s Conspicuous Gallantry Medal for charging into a cave where the enemy was entrenched and single handedly destroyed the Japanese with a Reising sub - machine gun . She was laid down 16 December 1943 by the Federal Shipbuilding & Dry Dock Co . , Newark , New Jersey ; launched 19 March 1944 ; sponsored by Mrs . Jamie S . Goss , sister - in - law of Marine Gunner Goss ; and commissioned 26 August 1944 , Lt . Comdr . Claude A . Kirkpatrick in command . World War II Pacific Theatre operations . After shakedown out of Bermuda , " Goss " departed Norfolk , Virginia , 30 October and steamed via the Panama Canal Zone and San Francisco , California , to Pearl Harbor , where she arrived 2 December and reported for duty . " Goss " was underway 5 December 1944 from Pearl Harbor via Eniwetok to Kossel Roads , Palau Islands , where she joined and four other destroyer escorts to form a vhunter - killer group which operated off the Palau Islands . Attacks by kamikazes . As a unit of Vice Admiral Oldendorf ' s Bombardment and Fire Support Group , " Goss " sortied from Kossel Roads 1 January 1945 bound for Lingayen Gulf . In the early hours of 5 January , as Oldendorf ' s ships steamed within 150 miles of Japanese airfields on Luzon , they were spotted by scout planes . At 0758 combat air patrol intercepted 15 to 20 enemy planes 35 miles from the formation , shot down 9 , and turned the others back . At noon another raid was intercepted and turned back about 45 miles from the ships . Shoots down two kamikazes . The last and heaviest air attack of the day came at 1650 about 100 miles off Corregidor . Sixteen kamikazes with four escorts broke through combat air patrol to dive at the ships . They succeeded in hitting heavy cruisers , and HMAS " Australia " ; escort carrier ; and destroyer escort . In the fierce fight to repel this deadly threat , " Goss " was credited with shooting down two kamikazes . Philippine operations . Next day , cruising about 60 miles off Lingayen Gulf , the formation began breaking up into units with the battleships , cruisers , Beach Demolition Group and their escorts starting their separate missions . " Goss " , as part of the screen for Rear Admiral Durgin ' s Lingayen Carrier Group , gallantly carried out her mission in support of the Lingayen Landings until 20 January . Retiring from the area , she reached Mindoro dawn 21 January . Iwo Jima and Okinawa operations . From 21 February to 6 June 1945 " Goss " operated as a unit of Admiral Stump ' s Task Group 52 . 1 under U . S . 5th Fleet as part of the close air support for the invasion of Iwo Jima . " Goss " continued her escort duties , next taking part in the Okinawa operations , last stop on the island road to Japan . This duty lasted until 30 June 1945 . End - of - war operations . " Goss " sortied from Ulithi 3 July as part of the screen for Admiral D . B . Beary ' s Logistic Support Group ( TG 30 . 8 ) . This group acted as the replenishment group for Admiral Mitscher ' s Carrier Task Force 38 as they struck the main islands of Japan with carrier planes and battleship guns . The Logistics Group operated in an area from 250 to 500 miles east of Honshū , fueling the fast carrier strike force and furnishing replacement aircraft . Late in July " Goss " joined Task Group 94 . 17 , a hunter - killer team , to operate along the shipping lanes southeast of Okinawa . From 7 through 24 August she operated with Task Group 75 . 19 as hunter - killer group east of Formosa . With the war over , " Goss " retired to San Pedro Bay 25 August and cleared that port 2 days later as part of the screen for Task Force 32 and 33 , landing units of the U . S . 8th Army in Tokyo Bay 2 September . Post - war activity . " Goss " continued her duties until 5 November when she departed Tokyo Bay for home . After touching at Pearl Harbor " Goss " arrived Los Angeles , California , 22 November 1945 . She remained on the U . S . West Coast and decommissioned at San Diego , California , 15 June 1946 and joined the Pacific Reserve Fleet . Recommissioning during Korean War . " Goss " recommissioned 27 December 1950 at San Diego , Lt . Comdr . L . R . Hayes , commanding . " Goss " was assigned duty under Commandant , 11th Naval District as a reserve training ship . Her operations consisted of readiness and tactical cruises on the west coast from Alaska to South America as well as visits to Hawaii , Cuba and Panama . Final decommissioning . " Goss " decommissioned at Astoria , Oregon , 10 October 1958 and again joined the Pacific Reserve Fleet . She was later transferred to Bremerton , Washington . On 1 March 1972 , she was struck from the Navy list , and , on 20 November 1972 , she was sold for scrapping . Military awards . " Goss " received four battle stars for World War II service .