USS Philip ( DD - 498 ) USS " Philip " ( DD / DDE - 498 ) , a , was the second ship of the United States Navy to be named for Rear Admiral John W . Philip ( 1840 – 1900 ) . " Philip " was laid down by the Federal Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Co . , Kearny , New Jersey , 7 May 1942 ; launched 13 October 1942 ; sponsored by Mrs . Barrett Philip ; and commissioned 21 November 1942 , Commander Thomas C . Ragan in command . Among the junior officers at commissioning was Ensign Benjamin C . Bradlee who later became Executive Editor of the Washington Post . Solomon Islands campaign : June 1943 – March 1944 . " Philip " ' s first mission came during the early morning of 30 June 1943 , when she bombarded installations in the Shortland Islands area in the southwest Pacific . Operating in the screen of the Second Transport Group , " Philip " , on 15 August 1943 , made a good showing in her first scrape with the enemy . Several bomb splashes were seen near Barakoma Beach , Vella Lavella , indicating that Japanese bombers were attacking the LCI s unloading there . A few minutes later , two dive bomber s headed for " Philip " to unload their explosives . Each plane dropped a bomb but both missed . The first plane , taken under fire by the ship ' s guns , kept getting closer until a friendly Corsair took over the fight . Guns were shifted to the second and they soon found their range , splashing the plane into the sea . Japanese planes came back for another attack at nightfall . Silhouetted clearly against a full moon , " Philip " picked out the most desirable target . One torpedo wake passed a few yards astern and another crossed parallel to the ship after it was seen in time to take evasive action . The ship ' s guns kept barking at one of the bombers , finally shooting it down . Again during the next evening , Japanese planes came in to pay their regular visit . This time their objective proved to be the cumbersome LST s withdrawing from Barakoma Beach . While laying a heavy smoke screen and shooting at the planes , " Philip " collided with under the cover of her own smoke . Although damage to both vessels resulted , damage control parties of both ships rigged up shoring to prevent flooding and stayed in the battle . " Philip " kept her guns blazing away at the swarming Japanese , one plane was shot down and another was claimed as a possible kill . There was no let - up from enemy raids on the next day as the Japanese pressed their attempts to dislodge American forces from their toehold on the Solomons . One dive bomber sent his torpedo flying between the ship ' s stacks and another went splashing into the sea 30 yards to port . A second attack brought another close call ; two torpedoes dropped 15 yards astern . " Philip " ' s gunners shot down one of the dive bombers . Two days later , while leading a convoy out of Tulagi , the destroyer launched a pair of attacks on what appeared to be a Japanese submarine , without damage to the enemy . On 27 October , the destroyer fired at mortar emplacements on Mono Island and then came into Blanche Harbor , Treasury Island , Solomons . Six Val - type enemy planes zoomed into the harbor in an attempt to destroy the transports sitting there . The attack was repelled and " Philip " did her share by sending one plane away in flames . A barge sweep off Bougainville and bombardment of Choiseul Bay was conducted on 8 January 1944 ; ten days later , the destroyer returned for another blow on Bougainville , raking the island ' s northeast shores with surface fire . Leading a convoy of LCIs into Bougainville on 15 February , " Philip " weathered a bombing attack reminiscent of her earlier days ; but she retaliated in like manner , damaging one plane and repelling the others . After a methodical bombardment of Empress Augusta Bay 14 March , " Philip " left to take part in the Marianas campaign . From 17 June to the end of July , the destroyer ' s guns blazed red hot as they hammered almost daily at enemy positions on Saipan and Tinian . Known gun emplacements , troop concentrations , and air fields were the main targets , although several swipes were also taken at small craft in Tinian and boats in Tanapag Harbor . Philippines campaign , December 1944 – April 1945 . The Philippines came next . An assault on Mindoro , 12 – 15 December , was her initial step . One airplane was damaged in the battle . More fierce airplane attacks came when " Philip " joined a screening force around a resupply echelon traveling from Leyte to Mindoro , later that month . Frequent raids with coordinated bombing and suicide attacks by as many as six planes at one time greeted the slow convoy during its entire trip . Two of the attackers were shot down by the destroyer and another was damaged . A 20 - millimeter shell , fired by an LCT at a Japanese plane , landed upon the aluminum spray shield on the ship ' s starboard bridge wing , tearing a hole in the structure and wounding two men . One of the wounded men died five hours after the accident . Many of the ships were not as fortunate as " Philip " which escaped with comparatively little damage . Suiciders had a field day in crashing into the not easily maneuverable merchant ships . Steaming out of Leyte 5 January 1945 , " Philip " sailed to join a task group which went on to invade Lingayen Gulf , Luzon Island , Philippines , 9 January . The destroyer remained in the area until 12 January , screening the transports as they unloaded . Several air attacks and suicide boat assaults were encountered during the journey from Leyte . During the dark early morning of 10 January , the destroyer challenged a small boat which it picked up on radar . The small craft , acting queerly , did not reply . After illuminating the small explosive - laden boat , " Philip " opened with its 20 - millimeter and . 45 sub - machine guns . The boat turned sharply , headed directly for the ship ' s port side amidships , but was exploded 20 yards short of her mark . Two brief fire support missions were conducted in the occupation of Zamboanga Peninsula , Mindanao , during March , and assaults on Sanga - Sanga and Jolo Island s , Sulu Archipelago , Philippines , were successfully conducted by " Philip " during 2 – 10 April . Borneo campaign , April – July 1945 . On 30 April , the destroyer joined a special attack unit to transport , protect , and establish units of the 26th Australian Brigade on Sauau , Borneo , N . E . I . Major landings on Tarakan Island followed a day later ; enemy opposition in force was surprisingly absent . Relieved of radar picket duty off Brunei Bay on 12 June , " Philip " rendezvoused with a minesweeping group and left to clear the area of Miri - Luton , Sarawak , Borneo , in preparation for an assault which was to come seven days later . Having previously paved the way for an assault landing on Brunei Bay , Borneo , " Philip " covered the " sweeps " while preparations were made for the next invasion . A total of 246 mines were cut loose from the heavily - planted area , not without loss of much valuable sweep gear . Hostile gun positions in the Miri area were softened by the destroyer while the minesweepers performed their chores . Elements of the First Australian Corps , loaded at Morotai , landed at Balikpapan , Borneo , 1 July , while " Philip " stood guard for enemy attempts to hinder the invasion . Remaining in the area until 19 July , the destroyer bombarded the surrounding shores and helped repel such feeble air attacks as the Japanese could muster . The end of the war followed the Borneo operation but it did not bring about immediate return to the United States for the busy destroyer . She was sent to China on mine destruction duty and remained in the Pacific area until late in 1945 . The veteran destroyer got back to the West Coast just in time to allow the crew to spend New Year ' s Eve on home soil . She subsequently sailed to the Atlantic and , by Directive dated January 1947 , was placed out of commission , in reserve , attached to the U . S . Atlantic Reserve Fleet , berthed at Charleston , South Carolina " Philips classification was changed to DDE - 498 " ' on 26 March 1949 . Korean War , 1950 – 1954 . " Philip " recommissioned at Charleston , South Carolina 30 June 1950 , and sailed to the Panama Canal Zone and San Diego en route to her new home port , Pearl Harbor . Here she arrived 10 September 1950 , and immediately assumed her part in advanced hunter - killer exercises . During the autumn of 1950 , " Philip " acted as plane - guard for the aircraft bearing President Harry S . Truman to his mid - ocean conference with General Douglas MacArthur on Wake Island , to discuss the conduct of the Korean War . " Philip " departed Pearl Harbor 1 June 1951 for Midway and Yokosuka , Japan . On 15 June , she joined Task Force 77 ( TF 77 ) in the Sea of Japan for duty screening the fast carrier task force as it conducted air operations against enemy forces in North Korea . She returned to Japan for anti - submarine warfare exercises from 30 June to 10 July , and next day sailed for Taiwan and duty on patrol in the Taiwan Straits . A visit to Hong Kong which began 29 July was interrupted by Typhoon Louise . Through August , " Philip " continued her patrol duties , and early in September conducted anti - submarine exercises off Okinawa until 11 September when she put into Yokosuka for upkeep . On 24 September 1951 " Philip " was bound for the east coast of Korea . Here she had escort duty with TF 77 until 3 October , when she received orders which sent her to duty on the west coast of Korea with the United Nations Naval Forces which included Australian and British units . Here " Philip " screened the carrier group , and served to enforce the naval blockade on the 38th parallel . Fighting her way through the most devastating typhoon in years , Ruth , " Philip " steamed back to duty with TF 77 , joining up 15 October . Released from this duty 31 October . " Philip " proceeded to Yokosuka , and departed 2 November for Pearl Harbor . On arriving at Pearl Harbor , the ship commenced a yard period , which was followed by a period of refresher training . Underway training and planeguard duty continued until 27 October 1952 , when " Philip " began a short drydock period , part of her preparation for another tour of duty in the Korean War . She departed Pearl Harbor 10 November , bound for Yokosuka , Japan , where she arrived ten days later . Late in the afternoon of 25 November 1952 " Philip " joined Task Force 78 , and began duty in the screen of the task force . Later duty included a shore bombardment patrol in company with in the vicinity of latitude 38 ' 30 ' N off the east coast of Korea . On 5 December , the two vessels entered Wonsan Harbor to fire on shore targets , and then returned to the bombline to carry out call fire missions . Steady steaming with TF - 78 was resumed from 8 December until 27 December , interrupted only by a night search for a sonar contact and two rescue missions for pilots of downed aircraft . After a period of tender availability in Yokosuka , " Philip " resumed similar duty until May 1953 . " Philip " returned to Pearl Harbor 29 May 1953 , and operated for a month in training exercises . Late in June she began an intensive three month overhaul at Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard . Overhaul completed , she returned to a busy schedule of operations in the Hawaiian group which included search and rescue missions , anti - submarine exercises , practice shore bombardment , and carrier plane guard duties . A major fleet exercise occupied " Philip " during the first months of 1954 , and she then began preparations for another journey to the Western Pacific . On 14 June , she stood out for Yokosuka , Japan , where she arrived 23 June , mooring alongside for two days of tender availability . " Philip " then got underway for the Shimonoseki Straits and Chinhae , Korea . After reporting for duty with Task Force 95 , " Philip " steamed to Inchon to join and act as planeguard for the British carrier on the United Nations Blockade . " Philip " escorted " Warrior " to Kure , Japan , 4 July , and sailed on to Sasebo for a week ' s restricted availability . 1954 – 1957 . After further service in Korean waters , " Philip " left Japan for Pearl Harbor , arriving home 29 August 1954 for a month ' s overhaul , She resumed operations in the Hawaiian Islands until 15 March 1955 , when she entered the yard for a comprehensive overhaul . Overhaul was followed by refresher training and preparation for another Far Eastern deployment . On 8 August 1955 , she sailed for Yokosuka , Japan , arriving ten days later . On this tour of duty , she participated in large scale antisubmarine warfare exercises off Okinawa , operated with Task Force 77 , and served on the Taiwan Patrol before heading for home 6 January 1956 . Operations in Hawaiian waters occupied " Philip " between 15 January 1956 , and 30 October , when she once more took departure for the Far East . Serving primarily in Japanese waters , " Philip " completed a shorter tour than previously , and was back home in Pearl Harbor 22 January 1957 . 1957 – 1968 . During 1957 , she joined Destroyer Squadron 25 , unique in its three divisions , rather than the usual two . The escort destroyers of Destroyer Squadron 25 were so deployed that one division of the three was in the Far East at any given time , and it was on this schedule that " Philip " once more sailed for the Orient 27 December . Arriving in Yokosuka 5 January 1958 " Philip " served on exercises off Japan and Okinawa , in the Philippine Islands , and in the South China Sea until 23 April , when her division began the homeward bound voyage , by an unusual route . Arriving in Brisbane , Australia 2 May , " Philip " visited Melbourne and Sydney , Australia ; Wellington , New Zealand ; and Pago Pago , American Samoa , before returning to Pearl Harbor 29 May . Here she resumed her operations in the Hawaiian Group throughout the remainder of 1958 . From the latter part of June 1958 until the end of January 1959 , " Philip " took part in hunter - killer operations , conducted shore bombardment , air and surface shoots , single and dual ship antisubmarine exercises , and fulfilled the duties of planeguard destroyer for the super carrier . On 18 February " Philip " and the other escort destroyers of DesDiv 252 got underway and proceeded to Yokosuka , Japan . " Philip " operated around Japan and in the South China Sea before arriving Brisbane , Australia , 11 July . The deployment ended at Pearl Harbor 30 July . The division sailed from Honolulu again for Yokosuka 22 April 1960 . After operating in the waters of Japan and Okinawa " Philip " returned to Pearl Harbor 29 October 1960 . On 4 February 1962 " Philip " was off for Yokosuka again . This cruise was spent in the waters of Japan , the Philippines , and Vietnam . Effective 1 July 1962 " Philip " was redesignated from DDE to DD . " Philip " returned to Pearl Harbor 18 July 1962 . " Philip " steamed again for Yokosuka 12 November 1963 , operating again in Japanese , Philippine , and Vietnamese waters , and returning to Pearl Harbor 10 April 1964 . After another period of operations out of Hawaii , " Philip " steamed for Yokosuka again 19 April 1965 . This cruise was highlighted by duty on Yankee Station off Vietnam and by patrol of the Taiwan straits . She returned home 1 October 1965 . The USS " Philip " was featured in the 1965 Otto Preminger film " In Harm ' s Way " starring John Wayne . It makes its appearance as the destroyer that steams out of Pearl Harbor at the beginning of the 7 Dec 1941 attack , joins up with the Wayne character ' s cruiser in an " ad hoc " task group , depth charges a Japanese submarine that attacks the task group , and pulls alongside the Wayne character ' s cruiser to render aid after it has been torpedoed by the same Japanese submarine . " Philip " decommissioned 30 September 1968 and was struck from the Navy List 1 October 1968 . She was sold 15 December 1971 , but sank in a storm on her way to be scrapped 2 February 1972 . " Philip " received nine battle star s for World War II service and five battle stars for Korean War service .