USS Caperton ( DD - 650 ) USS " Caperton " ( DD - 650 ) was a of the United States Navy , named for Admiral William B . Caperton ( 1850 – 1941 ) . " Caperton " was launched 22 May 1943 by Bath Iron Works , Bath , Maine , sponsored by Miss M . Caperton ; and commissioned 30 July 1943 , Commander W . J . Miller in command . Service history . " Caperton " sailed from Boston 8 October 1943 for Pearl Harbor , where she arrived 6 November to begin the operations which would stamp her as one of the " fightingest " destroyers of the Pacific theater . After delivering explosives at Funafuti , Ellice Islands , 28 – 29 November , the destroyer covered the Gilbert Islands through patrol until 8 January 1944 , when she put back to Pearl Harbor . Here she joined the screen of the mighty Fast Carrier Task Force , with which she steamed in the intensive series of operations which marked the advance of the Navy across the Pacific . ( Then 5th Fleet ' s Task Force 58 , later 3rd Fleet ' s TF 38 . ) On 30 January 1944 , " Caperton " joined in the bombardment of Kwajalein , and from her base at Majuro , took part in the air strikes on Truk and Saipan in February . " Caperton " cleared Espiritu Santo 15 March 1944 for the air operations covering the invasion of Emirau Island , then sailed for the stunning blows hurled from the air at the Japanese on Palau , Yap , Woleai , and Ulithi late in March . Tireless TF 58 continued the crescendo pace of its attacks , and in April " Caperton " screened air strikes preparatory to the invasion of Hollandia , saw the force ' s planes hit Truk once more , and blasted at Satawan and Ponape in shore bombardment . On 6 June 1944 , " Caperton " sortied from Majuro for the Marianas operation , which culminated in the fury of the Battle of the Philippine Sea on 19 and 20 June . Screening the American carriers as they launched the strikes which would cripple Japanese naval aviation , " Caperton " interposed her blazing antiaircraft fire between enemy air attacks and the carriers . Moving on to cover the attacks preparatory to the return of United States forces to Guam , " Caperton " sailed close inshore to provide lifeguard services for carrier strikes , and on 25 June braved the fire of enemy shore batteries to shell and sink a cargo ship in Apra Harbor . Through July , she operated in the Marianas , and late in the month screened air strikes on Yap and Palau . " Caperton " got underway from Eniwetok 30 August 1944 to rendezvous with TF 38 for the well - planned bombardments and air strikes which paved the way for the return to the Philippines . The Palaus , Mindanao , Visayas , and Luzon were blasted from the air , while Peleliu , Angaur , and the Ngesebus felt the might of the force ' s guns . The destroyer replenished at Ulithi , and resumed screening duty for the strikes intended to deny the Japanese the use of their bases on Okinawa and Formosa in the forthcoming Leyte invasion . In the 3 - day Formosa air battle which resulted , and were torpedoed from the air . " Caperton " was assigned to screen the cripples to safety , and to guard them while they were used as bait in the effort to bring the Japanese surface units into battle . When the stricken cruisers were safely out of range of enemy air attack , " Caperton " returned to screen TF 38 in the air strikes of the decisive Battle for Leyte Gulf , which developed from the all - out efforts of the Japanese to break up the Leyte landings . Strikes flown from the carriers of " Caperton " ' s group inflicted the final losses on the Japanese Center Force , and she with others pursued the retreating Japanese north , without making surface contact . Continued operations supporting the invasion of the Philippines kept " Caperton " at sea from her base at Ulithi . When was torpedoed on 4 November 1944 , " Caperton " took her injured and other survivors on board , and after weathering the furious typhoon of 18 December , she steamed for air strikes on Formosa , Luzon , Camranh Bay , Hong Kong , Canton , and Okinawa . An overhaul on the west coast prepared the destroyer for picket duty off Okinawa through May and June 1945 . The desperate Japanese suicide air attacks made radar picket duty off embattled Okinawa one of the most dangerous duties of the war , but " Caperton " served her tour unscathed ; constantly vigilant both to protect herself and provide for effective use of her radar warning equipment . On 29 June 1945 , " Caperton " rejoined TF 38 for the final air strikes on the Japan ese home islands , which continued until the close of the war . After several months of occupation duty at Tokyo , " Caperton " returned to the east coast of the United States , where she was decommissioned at Charleston , South Carolina , 6 July 1949 . The battle - tried veteran was recommissioned 6 April 1951 , as the fleet was augmented to meet the threat posed by the Korean War . With Newport as her home port , " Caperton " operated locally until the fall of 1952 , when she sailed to northern Europe for North Atlantic Treaty Organisation ( NATO ) Operation Mainbrace . After preparing by fleet exercises in the Caribbean early in 1953 , " Caperton " cleared Newport 27 April for the Panama Canal and duty in the Far East , arriving at Yokosuka , Japan 2 June for duty with TFs 77 and 95 . With the first , she screened air strikes on Chinese and North Korean Communists ; with the second , she took part in the blockade and bombardment of Korea ' s coast . After further hunter - killer operations off Korea , she sailed on 9 October to call at the Philippines , Singapore , Colombo , Suez , Cannes , and Lisbon , thus rounding the world before her return to Newport 21 May 1954 . Five months of operations with North Atlantic Treaty Organisation forces in northern Europe in 1954 , and a good - will visit to Guayaquil , Ecuador , in 1955 highlighted a period of local operations and training which preceded " Caperton " ' s patrol operations in the Atlantic during the Suez crisis of November 1956 . On 21 January 1957 , " Caperton " sailed for a tour of duty with the 6th Fleet in the Mediterranean during which she sailed with the carrier striking force in the eastern Mediterranean during the Jordan crisis . Returning to Newport in June , the destroyer ' s next lengthy deployment was her participation from 3 September to 27 November in North Atlantic Treaty Organisation Operation Strikeback in the North Atlantic and Mediterranean . Operations off the east coast , in the Caribbean , with the 6th Fleet in the Mediterranean ( including visits to Red Sea and Persian Gulf ports ) , and combined operations with Canadian forces continued through 1959 . " Caperton " was placed out of commission in reserve at Norfolk , Virginia , on 27 April 1960 . Awards . " Caperton " received 10 battle star s for World War II service , and 1 for service in the Korean War .