USS Herbert J . Thomas ( DD - 833 ) USS " Herbert J . Thomas " ( DD - 833 ) was a of the United States Navy . Named for Sergeant Herbert Joseph Thomas Jr . , USMC , she was laid down on 30 October 1944 by Bath Iron Works Corporation , Bath , Maine ; launched on 25 March 1945 ; sponsored by Miss Audrey Irene Thomas , sister of Sergeant Thomas ; and commissioned on 29 May 1945 , Commander Robert T . S . Keith in command . Service history . 1945 – 1949 . After shakedown along the East Coast and in the Caribbean , " Herbert J . Thomas " transited the Panama Canal and joined the Western Pacific Forces supporting the occupation of Japan and Korea at war ' s end . After operations with the 7th Fleet out of Japan during most of 1946 and patrol duty in Korean waters , she sailed late November via Guam and Pearl Harbor , arriving San Diego on 21 December . " Herbert J . Thomas " sailed on 6 January 1947 via the Canal Zone arriving at Newport , Rhode Island on 6 February . Between February 1947 and 22 May 1950 she conducted operations along the East Coast and in the Caribbean and made three deployments with the 6th Fleet to the Mediterranean . During the latter part of 1948 she was assigned duty as a United States Naval Academy practice ship , giving six - day anti - submarine indoctrinations . " Herbert J . Thomas " was reclassified DDR - 833 on 18 March 1949 . Korea , 1950 – 1953 . " Herbert J . Thomas " had just returned from the Mediterranean and was in Cartagena , Colombia when hostilities broke out in Korea in June 1950 . She immediately proceeded to Pearl Harbor and joined the Pacific Fleet . In July she joined Task Force 77 ( 7th Fleet Striking Force ) operating off the coast of Korea in the Yellow Sea , effectively checking the enemy . A month later " Herbert J . Thomas " was assigned to the blockading force on Korea ' s east coast , and rendered highly effective gunfire support missions for our forces at Pohang , inflicting much damage on the enemy . While operating with the blockading forces , she furnished interdiction fire all along the eastern coast and fired a diversionary mission for British commandos who were landed from submarine to destroy a vital railroad tunnel . At 1329 on the afternoon of 4 September , " Herbert J . Thomas " was on picket duty about 60 miles north of Admiral Ewen ' s main force when she made radar contact on unidentified aircraft and reported this to aircraft from passing overhead . A division of F4U Corsair s which was orbiting northeast of the force was vectored out . The raid was now estimated on course 160° , speed 180 knots . As the fighters turned to meet it , it separated into two parts , one retiring in the direction whence it came . Sighting the fighters , the bogey nosed down , increased speed and began evasive action , but turned toward Korea rather than westward toward China . The division leader flew over him in an attempt to identify and reported a twin - engined bomber with red star markings . The intruder opened fire and was subsequently shot down . " Herbert J . Thomas " proceeded to the spot where the aircraft crashed and , according to a crew member on the " Herbert J . Thomas " at the time , recovered the dead body of an oriental aviator , and was immediately transferred to the USS Valley Forge . For the next three months she was assigned patrol duty and operations with Task Force 77 . Departing 24 January 1951 " Herbert J . Thomas " arrived San Diego on 12 February and spent the remainder of the year operating in that area . Returning to Korea on 25 January 1952 she joined Task Force 77 for a month and spent two weeks on the bombline performing vital gunfire support and screening duties . In late February , " Herbert J . Thomas " took up patrol duty in the Formosa Straits and in April was assigned duty in the Songjin area . In this she coordinated the operations of several ships in the Songjin - Chongjin area . After a brief period with the 7th Fleet Striking Force she joined the Blockading and Escort Force off the east coast of Korea . On 11 May she dueled with shore batteries in Wonsan Harbor where she received one hit with no casualties and slight damage . Quick to retaliate , " Herbert J . Thomas " dealt severely with the enemy , inflicting much damage . The remainder of the month was spent on patrol , bombarding and furnishing fire support for mine - sweeping operations in the Serisan , Songjin , and Chongjin areas . Retiring to Yokosuka , " Herbert J . Thomas " sailed on 8 June for San Diego , arriving on the 26th . Assigned the new home - port of Long Beach , California she operated in that area until departing on 2 February 1953 for duty with the Far Eastern Naval Forces . Arriving Yokosuka on 27 February , " Herbert J . Thomas " joined the 7th Fleet Striking Force and screened the carriers launching strikes on North Korea . From 4 April to 19 May she was assigned electronics countermeasure duties in addition to call fire missions on gun emplacements and radar stations , effectively checking the enemy . 1953 – 1963 . " Herbert J . Thomas " joined Task Force 72 on 12 June and operated out of Kaoshiung , Formosa enforcing the blockade between Formosa and the communist Chinese mainland . Sailing from Yokosuka on 14 August she reached Long Beach on 30 August , from whence she proceeded to Mare Island for overhaul and armament conversion . " Herbert J . Thomas " departed on 5 May 1954 for her fourth tour in the Far East . After operating in the Philippines and out of Yokosuka , she proceeded on 23 July to Kaoshiung to take up patrol duty . Returning to Long Beach on 5 December , she spent the next five months operating with the carrier in that area . From 14 June 1955 to 1 March 1958 " Herbert J . Thomas " made three more deployments to the Far East . During these tours she operated with the fast carrier task forces and had duty on the Taiwan Patrol , helping to stabilize the Chinese situation and protect vital American interests . On 25 October 1958 " Herbert J . Thomas " deployed again with other units of the 7th Fleet to the Far East , serving with pride as a good - will ambassador for the United States . She trained with Japanese destroyers in antisubmarine exercises and operated again with fast carrier groups . On 4 July 1959 the " Herbert J . Thomas " represented the United States Navy by firing a twenty - one - gun salute at the Alaska statehood ceremony in Sitka . Upon entry to the harbor , the " Thomas " dropped anchor in waters at least one fathom greater than the length of its anchor chain . And , due to a hang - fire , the ship actually gave Alaska a twenty - two - gun salute . The ship deployed regularly to the Far East until 9 July 1963 when she entered Mare Island Naval Shipyard , Vallejo , California and remained in commission in reserve for a 12½ - month modernization overhaul . During the FRAM I conversion , the destroyer received an entirely new superstructure — designed to protect the ship against biological and chemical agents as well as radioactive fallout — and the Antisubmarine Rocket ( ASROC ) system . Vietnam , 1964 – 1969 . Returning to full commission on 31 July 1964 , " Herbert J . Thomas " completed her FRAM I conversion on 30 August ( reverting to DD - 833 on 1 April 1964 ) and operated along the West Coast until sailing for the Far East on 14 September 1966 . Arriving at " Yankee Station " off South Vietnam on 16 October , she joined CTG 77 . 7 in screening during strikes against communist targets ashore . She retired toward the Philippines on 16 November , arriving Subic Bay three days later en route to Taiwan for patrol duty in the Strait of Formosa on 24 November through 16 December . Back off Vietnam on 19 December , " Herbert J . Thomas " aided ground forces with three weeks of naval gunfire support . Following a short period of carrier escort duty on " Yankee Station " in mid - January , " Herbert J . Thomas " sailed for home on 5 February 1967 arriving in San Diego via Yokosuka on the 24th . After leave and upkeep , the warship conducted refresher training and local operations through the summer and fall . The destroyer finally departed California for a Far East cruise on 28 December , arriving at " Yankee Station " via Japan and the Philippines on 14 March 1968 . The warship conducted shore bombardment missions off II and III Corps areas of responsibility in April and May as part of the Vietnamese counter - offensive after Tet , targeting enemy concentrations ashore . The destroyer also conducted patrols off Taiwan in June before sailing home on 15 June , arriving in San Diego via Sasebo on 5 July . " Herbert J . Thomas " spent the last three months of the year in overhaul at Long Beach . After completing refresher training that spring , the destroyer departed San Diego for her next Western Pacific deployment on 4 June 1969 . Arriving in the Tonkin Gulf on 3 July , " Herbert J . Thomas " began three weeks of positive identification and radar advisory zone ( PIRAZ ) duty ( air traffic coordination ) as well as the occasional shore bombardment mission . Following a port visit to Sasebo in early August , the warship conducted another three - week PIRAZ tour before putting in at Hong Kong on 15 September . She conducted one more shore bombardment patrol in October before turning for home on 1 November , arriving in San Diego via Subic Bay , Guam , Midway , and Pearl Harbor on 23 November . 1970 – 1999 . In the summer of 1970 , " Herbert J . Thomas " served as a school and training ship for NROTC midshipmen . In late August , the warship failed a final service inspection and was immediately tapped for inactivation . " Herbert J . Thomas " was decommissioned at San Diego on 4 December 1970 . She was struck from the Naval Vessel Register on 1 February 1974 and transferred to the Republic of China ( Taiwan ) through the Security Assistance Program ( SAP ) on 1 June 1974 . The destroyer served in the Republic of China Navy as ROCS " Han Yang " ( DDG - 915 ) until retired on 16 August 1999 to be sunk as an artificial reef . Awards . " Herbert J . Thomas " received six Battle Stars for Korean War service and three Battle Stars for Vietnam service .