USS Charles F . Hughes ( DD - 428 ) USS " Charles F . Hughes " ( DD - 428 ) was a " Benson " - class destroyer in the United States Navy during World War II . She was named for Charles Frederick Hughes . " Charles F . Hughes " was launched 16 May 1940 by Puget Sound Navy Yard , Bremerton , Washington ; sponsored by Mrs . C . F . Hughes ; and commissioned 5 September 1940 , Lieutenant Commander G . L . Menocal in command . 1941 . After training operations in the Caribbean , " Charles F . Hughes " reported at Newport , Rhode Island 3 April 1941 to join in the U . S . Navy ' s support of Britain . In September 1941 , " Hughes " and other American destroyers took up the responsibility for providing convoy escort in the western Atlantic . Twice during this period , " Hughes " rescued survivors from sunken merchantmen . The first rescue came as she steamed escorting the Marine forces bound for the occupation of Iceland in July 1941 , when she saved fourteen survivors , including four American Red Cross nurses , from a torpedoed Norwegian freighter . On 16 October , she rescued seven men from a lifeboat , survivors of a ship sunk a few days previously . 1942 . When the United States entered the war , " Hughes " guarded merchant shipping in coastal convoys , Caribbean sailings , and from the midocean meeting points to Iceland and New York . Between 30 April and 19 May 1942 , she made her first complete crossing of the Atlantic in a convoy to Belfast , Northern Ireland , returning to Boston to resume western Atlantic duty . From August 1942 , transatlantic convoy duty was her service , with Northern Ireland her usual destination . On 2 November , she sailed from New York to escort the first reinforcement convoy UGF 2 for the North African landings to Casablanca , arriving 18 November . Here she remained on patrol for a month before returning to her usual escort duties . 1943 - 1944 . In 1943 , " Hughes " joined in regular UC and CU convoys of tankers from the Bristol Channel to the Netherlands West Indies . The first of these , on which she sailed from Londonderry Port 15 February , was almost constantly under attack or shadowed by " wolfpack s " . " Hughes " and the other escorts kept losses low by their aggressive attacks , and only one submarine attack , on the night of 23 / 24 February , was successful in penetrating the alert screen . " Hughes " escorted a convoy to Casablanca , returning to New York , in November and December 1943 , and on 4 January 1944 , sailed from Norfolk , Virginia , to join the 8th Fleet in the Mediterranean Sea . After convoy operations in North Africa n waters supporting the buildup of forces on the bitterly contested Anzio beachhead , on 7 February she moved north to base at Naples . Through early March , she returned to Anzio again and again , to provide shore bombardment , screening , and patrol services . For the American troops dug in under almost constant German counterattack , the whistle of shells over head from such ships as " Hughes " was a most comforting sound . From 3 March to 4 April , the destroyer resumed convoy escort duties in north African waters and patrol at Gibraltar , then returned to operate off Anzio until just before the final breakout from the beachhead late in May . Returning to antisubmarine patrol and escort duties in the western Mediterranean , " Hughes " arrived at Naples 30 July 1944 to prepare for the invasion of southern France . While protecting the eastern flank of the shipping off the beachhead from attack on the night of 19 / 20 August , she spotted three German E - boat s attempting to penetrate the screen , and forced two of them to beach while she sank the third by gunfire . With the beachhead secure , " Hughes " resumed patrol and escort services throughout the western Mediterranean , particularly in the Gulf of Genoa . Between 7 and 16 December , she provided call - fire support off Monaco , previously bypassed because of its neutrality , but now under attack because German forces had invested it . End of World War II and fate . " Hughes " returned to Brooklyn for overhaul 12 January 1945 , and after a final convoy escort voyage to Oran , got underway for duty in the Pacific . She arrived at Ulithi 13 June , and through the remainder of the war escorted convoys to Okinawa . Through September and October , she sailed with convoys from Ulithi and the Philippines to Japanese ports , and on 4 November , was homeward bound from Tokyo . She arrived at Charleston , South Carolina , 7 December , and on 18 March 1946 was placed out of commission in reserve . She was struck from the Naval Vessel Register on 1 June 1969 and sunk as target off Virginia , 26 March 1969 . Awards . " Charles F . Hughes " received four battle star s for World War II service . As of 2005 , no other ship in the United States Navy has been named " Charles F . Hughes " .