USS Peary ( DD - 226 ) USS " Peary " ( DD - 226 ) was a in the United States Navy during World War II . She was named for Admiral Robert Edwin Peary . " Peary " was laid down by William Cramp and Sons of Philadelphia on 9 September 1919 ; launched on 6 April 1920 ; sponsored by Mrs . Edward Stafford daughter of Admiral Peary ; commissioned on 22 October 1920 . Service history . " Peary " served in the Far East from 1922 onward . With the Yangtze River Patrol from 1923 to 1931 , she made annual deployments in Chinese waters protecting American interests from 1931 to the outbreak of World War II . World War II . " Peary " was moored at Cavite , Philippines , when news of the Pearl Harbor raid reached her and was caught in the raid on the Cavite Navy Yard , Philippines , two days later . On the early afternoon of 10 December more than 50 two - engined high level bombers appeared over Cavite and , cruising leisurely above the range of anti - aircraft fire , destroyed practically the entire base . " Peary " , tied up at a small pier , took one bomb forward which damaged the superstructure and stack and killed 8 of her crew . She found herself in a precarious position , as fires began to set off torpedo warheads in a torpedo overhaul shop on the wharf next to her . Fortunately , towed her out . " Whippoorwill " and came alongside and their fire hoses extinguished the fire in five minutes . Her commanding officer , Commander H . H . Keith was wounded in this engagement and was relieved by Commander J . M . Bermingham . On 26 December 1941 , " Peary " was underway when the Japanese came over again and dropped several bombs near the ship . By the morning of 27 December , " Peary " was in Campomanes Bay , Negros Island , where she decided to put in for the day . Her crew camouflaged her with green paint and palm fronds , hoping to elude Japan ese patrol bombers . Five passed overhead without spotting the ship that morning and when darkness fell she set out through the Celebes Sea for Makassar Strait . A Japanese bomber spotted " Peary " the next morning , and shadowed her until early afternoon when three other bombers joined her in a two - hour attack . The planes dropped 500 - pound bombs and then launched two torpedoes only 500 yards from the ship . " Peary " quickly backed on one engine and both torpedoes narrowly missed the bow . Seconds later , two more missed the stern by ten yards . The bombers then withdrew . The New Year found " Peary " at Darwin , Australia . During January and a part of February , she operated out of Darwin , principally on anti - submarine patrol . On 15 – 16 February , " Peary " took part in a mission to transport reinforcements and supplies to Allied forces in Dutch Timor , but this was aborted after coming under intense air attack . On 19 February 1942 Darwin experienced a massive Japanese air attack . The , " Peary " was attacked by Japanese dive bombers , and was struck by five bombs . The first bomb exploded on the fantail , the second , an incendiary , on the galley deck house ; the third did not explode ; the fourth hit forward and set off the forward ammunition magazines ; the fifth , another incendiary , exploded in the after engine room . A . 30 caliber machine gun on the after deck house and a . 50 caliber machine gun on the galley deck house fired until the last enemy plane flew away . " Peary " suffered 88 men killed and 13 wounded ; she sank stern first . She was struck from the Navy List on 8 May 1942 . Awards . " Peary " received one battle star for World War II service . Present day . Memorial . There is a memorial in Darwin in honor of the lives lost . This memorial , in Bicentennial Park , consists of a plaque and one of the 4 - inch deck guns recovered from the " Peary " . This gun is aimed towards the " Peary " s resting place in the harbor . In the words of Peter Grose , author of " An Awkward Truth : The Bombing of Darwin , February 1942 " , " The doomed yet magnificent reply by the destroyer USS " Peary " in Darwin harbour as Japanese dive - bombers swarmed around her deserves a place in the legend books of American military history " . Wreck . The " Peary " lies in of water in Darwin Harbor , at coordinates . The wreck itself is a memorial to those who lost their lives in the first bombing raid on Australian soil and to those who defended Darwin .