USS Arnold J . Isbell ( DD - 869 ) USS " Arnold J . Isbell " ( DD - 869 ) , a " Gearing " - class destroyer , was the only ship of the United States Navy to be named for Arnold J . Isbell , an aircraft carrier captain during World War II . Her keel was laid down on 14 March 1945 at Staten Island , New York , by the Bethlehem Steel Company . She was launched on 6 August 1945 sponsored by Mrs . Arnold J . Isbell , the widow of Captain Isbell ; and commissioned on 5 January 1946 with Commander Carlton B . Jones in command . She joined the Atlantic Fleet and operated off the east coast . In January 1947 , she was transferred to the Pacific Fleet and homeported at San Diego . She spent the remainder of her US Navy days homeported on the West coast . Post WWII . Following a shakedown cruise to Guantanamo Bay , Cuba , the destroyer joined the Atlantic Fleet and operated off the East Coast through the end of the year . In January 1947 , she was transferred to the Pacific Fleet and homeported at San Diego , California . In May , " Arnold J . Isbell " departed California on her first western Pacific ( WestPac ) cruise . She visited Tsingtao and Shanghai , China , Hong Kong , Tokyo , and Yokosuka , Japan , Okinawa ; and Apra Harbor , Guam , before returning to San Diego in December . During 1948 , the warship engaged in hunter / killer training and served as a training ship for Naval Reserve personnel . In February 1949 , she sailed to Bremerton , Washington , for two months of upkeep . Following this work , she departed San Diego in April , bound for the Far East . The destroyer was in port at Shanghai and at Tsingtao , China , when each of these cities fell to Communist forces . She evacuated the American consul and his family from Tsingtao . She returned to San Diego in December . Korean War . " Arnold J . Isbell " was operating out of San Diego when Communist forces invaded South Korea on 27 June 1950 and the Korean War began . She promptly began preparations for an active role in the conflict . she joined Destroyer Division ( DesDiv ) 52 and sailed for Korean waters on 6 November . Some of her duties in the combat zone included acting in the screen of Task Force ( TF ) 77 visiting Taiwan as part of the Seventh Fleet display of strength , and escorting the troop transports that brought the 45th Army Division to Hokkaidō , Japan . In May 1951 , the destroyer was reassigned to TF 95 and participated in the bombardment of enemy troop concentrations highways , and railroads at Songjin , Chongjin , and Wonsan before returning to San Diego in August for repairs and training exercises along the west coast . In January 1952 , the ship again got underway for Korean action . Between 19 February and 10 August , she acted as a unit of TF 77 , the Seventh Fleet striking force . " Arnold J . Isbell " also operated with TF 95 and took part in hunter / killer operations . For a short time , she was a member of the Taiwan Strait patrol and joined " St . Paul " ( CA - 73 ) in bombarding Songjin before she returned to the United States in August . " Arnold J . Isbell " then began a three - month overhaul at Bremerton , Washington , in the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard . The destroyer sailed on 21 July 1953 for more operations off the embattled Korean peninsula . Upon her arrival there , she joined TF 95 for patrols along the Korean coast . A highlight of the cruise was her escorting " New Jersey " ( BB - 62 ) into Pusan harbor , where President Syngman Rhee presented the Seventh Fleet with a unit citation from the Republic of Korea . " Arnold J . Isbell " also served a brief stint as a training ship for the Nationalist Chinese Navy at Kaohsiung , Taiwan . Returning to the Korean coast , she acted as a rescue and communications ship at Pusan during a major fire . In January 1954 , the ship and her sister members of DesDiv 112 escorted released Nationalist Chinese prisoners of war to Keelung , Taiwan . After Korean War . February found " Arnold J . Isbell " back in the United States and being overhauled by the Mare Island Naval Shipyard , Mare Island , California . Her next six and one - half months were devoted to yard work and refresher training . In September , " Arnold J . Isbell " returned to the Orient . She again served as a training ship for Nationalist Chinese naval forces and then steamed with the fast carrier task force in Philippine waters . The destroyer played a key role in the evacuation of the Tachen Islands in January 1955 as Nationalist forces shortened their lines of defense . She sailed from the area on 25 February for San Diego , arriving in her home port on 13 March . Following repairs and training , " Arnold J . Isbell " sailed on 27 September for the Far East . The destroyer visited various ports in Japan and Taiwan , and served on the Taiwan Strait patrol . During this tour , she also participated in successful search and rescue operations for a downed Navy patrol plane . " Arnold J . Isbell " concluded her duties and arrived back in San Diego on 11 March 1956 . After completing repairs at Mare Island in July , " Arnold J . Isbell " resumed operations with DesDiv 112 off the coast of California . On 25 September , she sailed , via Pearl Harbor , for her eighth WestPac deployment . Heading south from Hawaii the destroyer crossed the equator on 3 October , bound for Samoa . Upon leaving Pago Pago , her next stop was Wellington , New Zealand , en route to Manus in the Admiralty Islands . Following a brief visit to Guam , she finally reached Yokosuka , Japan . There , the ship joined TF 77 for operations in the area between Hong Kong and Japan . She stopped in the Philippines before returning via Midway Atoll and Pearl Harbor , to San Diego where she arrived in March 1957 . The warship had a brief availability period and then took part in a fleet training exercise . She later operated with the Navy ' s first nuclear - powered submarine , " Nautilus " ( SSN - 571 ) . " Arnold J . Isbell " also visited Portland , Oregon , for that city ' s Rose Festival celebration . An 18 - day nonstop voyage from San Diego to Brisbane , Australia , initiated the destroyer ' s ninth Far Eastern cruise . She made stops at the Admiralty Islands , Guam , the Philippines , Hong Kong , Taiwan , Okinawa , and Japan before returning to California in June 1958 . The destroyer received an overhaul at Mare Island from June until September and then conducted refresher training and prepared for her 10th WestPac cruise . " Arnold J . Isbell " got underway on 18 December for WestPac . She operated with the Taiwan Strait patrol and took part in training exercises off Guam , Taiwan , Japan , and Okinawa before returning to San Diego on 29 May 1959 for operations in the southern California area . The vessel participated in numerous fleet exercises and , from 27 June to 15 August , held a midshipman training cruise . The ship once again sailed for the Orient on 6 February 1960 and made stops at Pearl Harbor , Yokosuka , Kaohsiung , Hong Kong , and Subic Bay . At midnight on 20 April , she received orders to steam toward a sinking merchant vessel in the South China Sea . After reaching the scene of the disaster , " Arnold J . Isbell " was able to rescue 104 people . After delivering the survivors to Subic Bay , she proceeded to Hong Kong for three weeks as station ship at that port . A final stop at Yokosuka preceded her sailing for San Diego , where she arrived in June . The destroyer spent the next 12 months in local operations . In June 1961 , her home port was changed to Bremerton , Washington , where she entered the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard for a fleet rehabilitation and modernization ( FRAM ) overhaul . During the FRAM refit all secondary armament was removed , as well as No . 2 five - inch turret , which was replaced by two Mk32 triple torpedo tube launchers . The superstructure was extensively rebuilt of aluminum , the bridge enclosed and a new CIC ( Combat Information Center ) built between the pilothouse and the forward funnel . An Antisubmarine Rocket ( ASROC ) launcher was fitted between the funnels . A hangar and ASROC reload facility was constructed aft of the rear funnel . " Arnold J . Isbell " emerged from the yard with her new configuration on 4 May 1962 . On 7 June , she reported to her new home port of Long Beach , California , and commenced refresher training . In October , the ship sailed with Destroyer Squadron 11 for the Far East . During this deployment , she took part in Operation " Red Wheel , " " Glass Door , " and " Sea Serpent . " The destroyer also served as a unit of the Seventh Fleet hunter / killer groups . Upon returning to Long Beach in June 1963 , she participated in another fleet exercise , Operation " Saddle Soap . " In January 1964 , the warship left Long Beach for her 12th tour in Oriental waters . During this deployment , she operated with a carrier force and later joined the Taiwan Strait patrol . " Arnold J . Isbell " visited Pearl Harbor , Subic Bay , Philippines , Hong Kong ; and Sasebo , Japan , before returning to Long Beach in May . She began a regular overhaul at the Long Beach Naval Shipyard in August . Upon completing her yard work in November , the destroyer proceeded to San Diego for six weeks of extensive underway training . Shortly after finishing her underway training , the ship took part in Operation " Silverlance . " In March 1965 , she received a drone antisubmarine helicopter ( DASH ) system and held trials of her new equipment off San Clemente Island . A midshipman training cruise occupied a large part of her summer . The destroyer sailed on 19 October for the Western Pacific . Following stops at Pearl Harbor and Subic Bay , " Arnold J . Isbell " relieved " Brinkley Bass " ( DD - 887 ) on 30 December on the northern search and rescue ( SAR ) station in the Gulf of Tonkin and began her first duty in the combat zone off the coast of Vietnam . The warship then became a unit of TF 77 . Search and rescue duties occupied the vessel until she was relieved on 31 March 1966 and sailed to Hong Kong for four days of rest and relaxation . On 12 April , she got underway to return to the United States . After fuel stops at Midway and Pearl Harbor , " Arnold J . Isbell " reached Long Beach on 28 April and commenced a leave and upkeep period . She returned to sea on 11 June with a midshipman training cruise to Hawaii and several fleet exercises . The destroyer unloaded her ammunition at Seal Beach , California , on 29 July and entered the Mare Island Naval Shipyard on 31 July for overhaul . Refurbished , the ship began a training period on 16 September and spent the remainder of the year in exercises along the southern California coast and in upkeep during the Christmas holidays . " Arnold J . Isbell " held refresher training out of San Diego in March 1968 and then conducted local operations until getting underway for the western Pacific on 15 July . She arrived on station off the Vietnamese coast on 12 August and carried out duties as a gunfire support ship . Her routine was broken only by brief periods in port for repairs and liberty for the crew . The destroyer spent the Christmas holidays patrolling off Vietnam and then visited Subic Bay , and Yokosuka . On 20 January , " Arnold J . Isbell " headed home . Upon her arrival at Long Beach on 31 January , she commenced a three - month period of leave and availability . She got underway again on 21 April for brief cruise to Acapulco and Manzanillo , Mexico , but was back in home port on 5 May . The vessel joined Task Group 10 . 1 on 9 June for a midshipman training cruise . Ports visited during this assignment included San Francisco , Seattle , Washington , and Pearl Harbor . This cruise terminated on 31 July , and she returned to Long Beach . A tender availability alongside " Isle Royal " ( AD - 29 ) ensued , and the destroyer then took part in Exercise " Bell Express " from 16 to 22 September . Her next underway period lasted from 17 September to 21 November while she took part in Computex 31 – 69 . She was also involved in gunfire support , antisubmarine warfare , and electronic warfare exercises before ending the year 1969 in port at Long Beach . The destroyer sailed on 13 February 1970 for the Far East . While in the combat zone , she performed SAR duty on Yankee Station in the Gulf of Tonkin , provided gunfire support , and served as escort for five aircraft carrier s . She made four port calls to Subic Bay , visited Hong Kong for two weeks , and spent four days in Singapore . En route back to the United States , the ship paid goodwill visits to Sydney , Australia , and Auckland , New Zealand . A one - day stopover at Pago Pago was also included in the voyage to Pearl Harbor . " Arnold J . Isbell " finally arrived in home port on 29 August and spent the rest of 1970 in local operations out of Long Beach . From February to May 1971 , " Arnold J . Isbell " went through an extensive yard period in the Long Beach Naval Shipyard . Six weeks of rigorous refresher training followed , and , on 9 September , she began what proved to be her final WestPac deployment . During this deployment , the vessel acted as a carrier escort and a naval gunfire support ship in Vietnamese waters . The destroyer also paid a visit to Devonport , Tasmania . On 7 April 1972 , she dropped anchor at San Diego . Then preparations to place the destroyer in the reserve training fleet were carried out . " Arnold J . Isbell " began her training duties on 16 June by sailing for Hawaii . She returned to California on 17 July and began operations off the West Coast . A trip to Mazatlán , Mexico varied her routine in early November . In 1972 " Isbell " became part of the Reserve Training Fleet until early 1974 when she was decommissioned and struck from the Naval Vessel Register . She was then transferred to the government of Greece and entered the Greek Navy as " Sachtouris " ( No . 214 ) . She continued serving Greece into the 1980s and reportedly scrapped in Turkey in 2002 . Awards and honors . " Arnold J . Isbell " made 16 tours of the Far East and earned six battle star s for Korean War service and two for Vietnam War action .