USS Chatelain ( DE - 149 ) USS " Chatelain " ( DE - 149 ) was an built for the U . S . Navy during World War II . She served in the Atlantic Ocean and the Pacific Ocean , providing destroyer escort protection against submarine and air attack for Navy vessels and convoys . At war ’ s end , she returned home proudly with five battle stars and the Presidential Unit Citation . She was named in honor of Hubert Paul Chatelain who was awarded a Silver Star posthumously for his valiant actions before he was killed in action 26 October 1942 during the Battle of Santa Cruz . " Chatelain " ( DE - 149 ) was launched 21 April 1943 by Consolidated Steel Corp . of Orange , Texas ; sponsored by Mrs . L . T . Chatelain ; commissioned 22 September 1943 , Lieutenant Commander J . L . Foley in command ; and reported to the Atlantic Fleet . World War II North Atlantic operations . Destined to play an important part in sweeping the Atlantic of German submarines , " Chatelain " escorted two convoys from east coast ports to Derry and Gibraltar between 20 November 1943 and 7 March 1944 , and was then assigned to operate as part of the hunter - killer group formed around . During the last year of the European war , while operating with the Guadalcanal group , " Chatelain " joined in the sinking of two German submarines , and the capture of a third . Sinking of the German submarine " U - 515 " . Her first action took place 9 April 1944 , as her group sailed from Casablanca to the United States . was detected when her radio transmissions were picked up , and planes and ships of the task group pressed home a firm attack . " Chatelain " forced the enemy submarine to the surface with two depth charge attacks , then joined in the general firing at point - blank range which followed , sending " U - 515 " to the bottom at . Capturing the German submarine " U - 505 " . On 4 June 1944 , " Chatelain " had the distinction of initiating one of the most dramatic incidents of the war , when she made a sound contact , and hurled a barrage of hedgehogs at a U - boat . A second attack by " Chatelain " , this time with depth charges , holed ' s outer hull and forced her to surface , her crew jumping overboard as she broke water . Now the task group seized its chance to carry out the boarding operation it had been planning for months , for the first capture by Americans of an intact German submarine . Successful in taking control of the submarine and executing the damage control that made its towing practicable , the group was awarded the Presidential Unit Citation for this action . Sinking of German submarine " U - 546 " . In one of the last antisubmarine actions of the Atlantic war , " Chatelain " took part in a 12 - hour hunt for the submarine which had torpedoed on 24 April 1945 . Eight other ships joined her as the group again and again attacked , sinking her finally at . End - of - War decommissioning . " Chatelain " had patrol and convoy escort duty , as well as serving as plane guard during aviation exercises , until 20 November 1945 , when she arrived at Charleston , South Carolina . She was decommissioned and placed in reserve at Green Cove Springs , Florida on 14 June 1946 . Awards . In addition to the Presidential Unit Citation , " Chatelain " received five battle stars for World War II service .