USS Bates ( DE - 68 ) USS " Bates " ( DE - 68 / APD - 47 ) , a of the United States Navy , was named in honor of Ensign Edward M . Bates ( 19 September 1919 – 7 December 1941 ) , who was killed on board during the attack on Pearl Harbor . " Bates " was launched on 6 June 1943 at the Bethlehem - Hingham Shipyard , Inc . , Hingham , Massachusetts ; sponsored by Mrs . Elizabeth Mason Bates , mother of Ensign Bates ; and commissioned on 12 September 1943 , with Lieutenant Commander E . H . Maher , USNR in command . Service history . " Bates " reported to the Atlantic Fleet , and escorted convoys to and from the British Isles until May 1944 , primarily engaged in coastal escort and patrol duty with Escort Division 19 . At this time , CortDiv 19 consisted of the destroyer escorts " Bates " , , , , , and . She completed three round - trip crossings by May . On 31 May 1944 she arrived at Plymouth , England , and reported to TF 129 in preparation for the invasion of Normandy . Between 6 and 12 June , she carried out fire support duties off the Normandy coast . On 8 June , she rescued 163 survivors of the destroyer , which sustained severe damage and sank when she struck a mine . Returning to New York City on 21 June , " Bates " underwent a brief yard availability and then escorted another convoy to England . Upon her return , she was converted to a " Charles Lawrence " - class high speed transport by Marine Basin Company , Brooklyn , New York . On 31 July her classification was changed to APD - 47 . Her conversion was completed on 23 October , and she departed the east coast five days later for the Pacific Ocean . Between December 1944 and February 1945 , " Bates " carried out training operations , with various Underwater Demolition Team s embarked , in the vicinity of the Hawaiian and western Caroline Islands . On 10 February , she departed Ulithi en route to the invasion of Iwo Jima . She arrived off Iwo Jima on 16 February and remained in the vicinity until 4 March , during which time she conducted high - speed observation runs around the island and acted as the parent ship for UDT - 12 . After a brief period of availability at Ulithi she departed for the invasion of Okinawa . Between 25 March and 25 May , " Bates " assisted in UDT operations , conducted patrols , and escorted two convoys between Ulithi and Okinawa . On 6 April she rescued 23 survivors of the destroyer , which had been hit by a Japan ese suicide aircraft . At 1115 on 25 May , while patrolling two miles south of Ie Shima , Okinawa , " Bates " was attacked by three Japanese aircraft . The first dropped a bomb , scoring a near miss which ruptured the starboard hull of the ship , and then crashed into the starboard side of the fantail . The second aircraft , almost simultaneously , made a suicide hit on the pilothouse . Shortly thereafter , the third aircraft made a bombing run scoring a near miss amidships , portside , rupturing the hull . At 1145 the commanding officer ordered " Bates " abandoned . Twenty - one of her crew were either dead or missing from the attacks . During the afternoon , the tug was able to get a line aboard and towed " Bates " to Ie Shima anchorage . At 1923 on 25 May 1945 , the still burning " Bates " capsized and sank in 20 fathoms of water . Awards . " Bates " received three battle star s for her World War II service in the Atlantic and Pacific .