USS McFarland ( DD - 237 ) USS " McFarland " ( DD - 237 / AVD - 14 ) was a " Clemson " - class destroyer in the United States Navy during World War II . She was named for American Civil War sailor and Medal of Honor recipient John McFarland . " McFarland " was laid down 31 July 1918 and launched 30 March 1920 by the New York Shipbuilding Corporation ; sponsored by Miss Louisa Hughes ; and commissioned 30 September 1920 , Lieutenant Commander Preston B . Haines in command . Service history . " McFarland " , having served a month with the Atlantic Fleet , departed for European waters 30 November 1920 . For the next 2 months she operated in the English Channel , sailing for Gibraltar 31 January 1921 . On 9 March she arrived at Split for a 4 - month tour with the Adriatic Detachment . In July she continued eastward , and at Constantinople , on the 31st , joined ships of the Turkish Waters Detachment . Returning to the United States only once ( 8 July to 22 October 1922 ) , " McFarland " remained in the Black Sea and eastern Mediterranean area until spring 1923 . During that period she performed quasi - diplomatic and humanitarian roles necessitated by the aftermath of World War I . She cruised regularly to Black Sea and Anatolian ports , distributing American relief supplies to Russia n , Greek , and Turkish refugees and providing transportation , mail , and communications facilities . " McFarland " returned to New York and on 15 September 1923 joined the Scouting Fleet at Newport , Rhode Island . With only two interruptions , she operated along the east coast and in the Caribbean for the next 17 years . The first interruption came with a cruise to Hawaii for the 1925 fleet problem involving an attack on Oahu ; the second , a year out of commission , in reserve , at Philadelphia , Pennsylvania 1931 . On 2 August 1940 , " McFarland " , undergoing conversion , was redesignated AVD - 14 , seaplane tender ( destroyer ) . On 5 October she was recommissioned in full and assigned to the Pacific Fleet . " McFarland " was heavily damaged during the early morning of 19 September 1923 after being rammed in the port bow by the battleship during a training exercise off of the Cape Code Canal . The exercise was being undertaken by " Arkansas " , the battleship , the auxiliary ship and a flotilla of a dozen destroyers . " McFarland " was towed to Boston Navy Yard by the destroyer . World War II . On 7 December 1941 , " McFarland " , operating out of Pearl Harbor , was conducting antisubmarine maneuvers off Maui . Receiving word of the Japanese attack , she patrolled to the southwest , returning to Oahu on the 9th . For the next 7 months she operated from Pearl Harbor , completing several voyages to Palmyra Atoll and Johnston Islands . On these missions she carried marine reinforcements to the islands and returned with civilian personnel . " McFarland " sailed for the South Pacific 2 June 1942 . She arrived at Noumea on the 16th and within a month she made her first contact with an enemy submarine in Bulari Pass , 15 July . In August , as the Guadalcanal offensive neared , she assumed tender duties in the Espiritu Santo – Santa Cruz Islands area . Assigned to keeping the supply lines open , " McFarland " carried supplies to the embattled island and evacuated wounded marine personnel while the planes she tendered performed scouting and fighting missions . On 16 October , " McFarland " was unloading cargo and embarking wounded personnel in Lunga Roads when she was attacked by nine dive bombers . While the first seven scored no hits , the eighth hit a gasoline barge in tow alongside the tender ’ s starboard quarter . The blazing barge was cut loose as the ninth plane made its run . At least one bomb hit " McFarland " s stern , knocking out her rudder and steering engine . Her crew shot down one plane , but lost eleven of its members in the fight ; five killed , six missing , with an additional 12 critically wounded . For this action , the ship was awarded the Presidential Unit Citation . " McFarland " was towed to Florida Island , where she moored to the beach in the upper channel ( later called McFarland Channel ) of Tulagi harbor . She completed makeshift repairs to her hull by 26 November and sailed to Espiritu Santo , where further repairs increased her seaworthiness . On 17 December she began to make her way back to Pearl Harbor , arriving on the 29th . Repairs completed by 17 April 1943 , " McFarland " sailed for the west coast . Redesignated DD - 237 on 1 December 1943 , and homeported at San Diego , California for the remainder of the war , she operated with carriers as they conducted training exercises and pilot qualification landings . On 30 September 1945 , she sailed for the east coast . Decommissioned at Philadelphia 8 November 1945 , she was struck from the Navy Register 19 December and her hulk was sold for scrap , 29 October 1946 , to the North American Smelting Company , Philadelphia . Awards . " McFarland " received two battle star s for her World War II service . As of 2005 , no other ships have been named " McFarland " .