USS McCoy Reynolds ( DE - 440 ) USS " McCoy Reynolds " ( DE - 440 ) was a 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 , after operating in the Pacific Ocean battle areas , her crew members returned home proudly with four battle star s to their credit for World War II and one for the Korean War . " McCoy Reynolds " ( DE - 440 ) was named in honor of McCoy Reynolds who was awarded the Silver Star posthumously for his gallant bravery during the Guadalcanal Campaign . Construction and commissioning . " McCoy Reynolds " ( DE 440 ) was laid down by Federal Shipbuilding & Dry Dock Co . , Newark , New Jersey , 18 November 1943 ; launched 22 February 1944 ; sponsored by Mrs . Tilden Reynolds ; and commissioned at Brooklyn Navy Yard 2 May 1944 , Lt . Comdr . Edwin K . Winn in command . World War II Pacific Theater operations . After shakedown off Bermuda , " McCoy Reynolds " departed Norfolk , Virginia , 11 July to escort the aircraft carrier to the Panama Canal Zone . arriving 16 July . She transited the Panama Canal on 26 July : reached San Diego , California , 6 August ; and , between 13 and 19 August , screened transports and supply ships to the Hawaiian Islands . Sinking of Japanese submarine RO - 47 . Sailing 3 September , " McCoy Reynolds " escorted ships via the Admiralty Islands to the Palau Islands . From 20 to 24 September she screened shore bombardment ships aiding the conquest of Peleliu by U . S . Marines . On 25 September , en route to join Task Force 57 out of Guam , " McCoy Reynolds " made underwater contact with a suspected submarine , and for 2 hours launched four depth charge attacks without results . At 0203 26 September , she picked up a contact on surface radar at about 9 , 000 yards ( 8 , 230 meters ) . Five minutes later it disappeared ; however , at 0213 her sonar regained contact at a range of 2 , 500 . At 0219 she launched the first of seven vigorous , intensive attacks with hedgehogs and depth charges on the target , probably submarine " RO - 47 " Four hours later , a violent underwater explosion was felt , and her lookouts spotted an oil slick which by noon covered an area of . Sinking of Japanese submarine I - 37 . Arriving Guam 28 September , " McCoy Reynolds " served on convoy and escort duty ; 25 and 26 October she screened ships of task group TG 30 . 8 east of Luzon as they refueled hard - hitting carriers of the Fast Carrier Task Force . She escorted two merchant troopships , to Leyte Gulf 11 to 14 November , sailed in convoy 15 November , and arrived at Kossol , Palaus , the 18th . With the destroyer escort , she began a sonar search at 1055 on 19 November for a submarine that had been spotted in the western entrance to Kossol Roads . Four hours later she made contact and closed to attack with hedgehogs and depth charges . " McCoy Reynolds " and " Conklin " made a total of eight attacks until an underwater explosion occurred and oil and debris gushed to the surface at about 1745 , marking the sinking of the Japanese submarine " I - 37 " . Guarding against air attack . Through March 1945 , " McCoy Reynolds " escorted convoys in the Marianas and Marshalls and conducted antisubmarine patrols out of Ulithi and Manus . She departed Ulithi 26 March to screen the Logistics Support Group of the United States Fifth Fleet s Fast Carrier Task Force during the Okinawa campaign . During her third escort mission on 12 May " McCoy Reynolds " went to the aid of the aircraft carrier , struck by two kamikazes the day before , with heavy losses and serious damage . " McCoy Reynolds " guarded the carrier to Ulithi , arriving 14 May , then returned to the Logistics Support Group , with whom she experienced the typhoon of 5 June which severely damaged more than 20 ships of the fleet . Capture and rescue operations . After a convoy run to and from Ulithi , " McCoy Reynolds " carried out antisubmarine and antiair patrols off Okinawa during the closing weeks of the Pacific war . On 12 July she captured two enemy soldiers attempting to escape from the island in a dugout canoe . On 9 September she rescued two survivors of an U . S . Army fighter which had flamed out off Hagushi . She made passenger , freight , and mail runs from Okinawa to Nagasaki and Sasebo until 15 October when she sailed for Saipan , Pearl Harbor , and San Diego , California . Arriving San Diego 5 November , she decommissioned there 31 May 1946 and entered the Pacific Reserve Fleet . Reactivation for Korean War . " McCoy Reynolds " recommissioned on 29 March 1951 with Lieutenant Commander Peter S . Smith in command . Following shakedown , she departed San Diego 8 July and arrived Pearl Harbor the 14th . She operated out of Pearl Harbor until 3 May 1952 when she deployed for the Far East . Sailing via Midway Island and Yokosuka , Japan , she arrived off the eastern coast of Korea 17 May . The next day she began shore bombardment at Songjin , and on 21 May she destroyed a North Korean railroad train . She alternated duty off Korea with escort runs and UDT delivery and support from Japan to Okinawa and with Formosa patrol duty until departing 20 August for Pearl Harbor , arriving the 29th . Operations with Royal Thai Navy . " McCoy Reynolds " operated out of Pearl Harbor during the next 16 months and deployed to the Far East 4 January 1954 . She reached Manila Bay 18 January and after exercises with the Royal Thai Navy carried out training operations in the South China Sea . After serving as station ship at Hong Kong 20 March to 12 May , she exercised in the South China Sea and Gulf of Siam until making passage to Pearl Harbor , 29 June to 11 July . " McCoy Reynolds " sailed 31 May 1955 for surveillance patrols off the Carolines and service as a search and rescue ship in the mid Pacific , returning to Pearl Harbor 22 October . She participated in antisubmarine warfare , escort , and ( other training until sailing for the United States West Coast 24 August 1956 . Final decommissioning . She arrived San Francisco , California , 31 August , underwent overhaul at Hunter ' s Point and decommissioned at Treasure Island , California , 7 February 1957 . She was stricken from the U . S . Naval Vessel Register on 1 November 1968 . Awards . " McCoy Reynolds " received four battle stars for World War II service and one battle star for Korean War . Portuguese Navy . Under the Military Assistance Program , the ship was loaned to the Government of Portugal on 7 February 1957 , and she entered service in the Portuguese Navy as " Corte Real " ( F 334 ) and served until decommissioned on 19 November 1968 . The United States sold her to Portugal outright in December 1968 , and she was scrapped in 1970 .