USS Robert Brazier ( DE - 345 ) USS Robert Brazier ( DE - 345 ) was a John C . Butler - class destroyer escort acquired by the U . S . Navy during World War II . The primary purpose of the destroyer escort was to escort and protect ships in convoy , in addition to other tasks as assigned , such as patrol or radar picket . Post - war , she returned home with one battle star to her credit . " Robert Brazier " was named for Robert Boyd Brazier , a gunner aboard a torpedo plane who was killed during the Battle of Midway and awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross . " Robert Brazier " was laid down 16 November 1943 by the Consolidated Steel Corp . , Ltd . , Orange , Texas ; launched 22 January 1944 ; sponsored by Mrs . Celia Brazier , mother of Aviation Radioman Brazier ; and commissioned 18 May 1944 ; Lt . Comdr . Donald D . Snyder , Jr . , USNR , in command . World War II North Atlantic operations . Following shakedown off Bermuda , " Robert Brazier " arrived at New York , 19 August 1944 , and the next day commenced escort work with a convoy run to Norfolk , Virginia . There for a week , she served as a school ship for the Destroyer Training School , conducted tests for the Bureau of Ordnance , and assumed duties as flagship , CortDiv 76 which she kept throughout World War II . Between 27 August and 7 September , she participated in a hunt for a German submarine reported off the coast . Later that month , she joined task force TF 69 to escort a fast convoy of tankers and transports to Italy . Completing that run at New York 23 October , she sailed again 10 November , heading south , then west . Forty - one days later she anchored in Seeadler Harbor , Manus . On 26 December she sailed for Hollandia , whence she escorted tankers to Leyte , arriving 6 January 1945 . Continuing escort duty , she plied the sealanes between Leyte , Kossol Roads , and Hollandia until 19 February when she sailed for Mindoro and duty with the local defense force there . For the next 2 weeks she patrolled the approaches to Mangarin Bay and the convoy lanes to Subic Bay . Then , on 6 March , the destroyer resumed duties as an ocean escort . Supporting the invasion of the Philippines . Assigned to the 7th Amphibious Force in late April , " Robert Brazier " departed Leyte for Panay on the 29th and remained at Iloilo until 4 May . Then ordered back to Leyte , she prepared for the invasion of Mindanao . On the 10th , she screened to the seaward of the landing forces in Macajalar Bay . From the 11th through the 13th , she patrolled in the Bay . On the 14th , she departed Mindanao for Cebu , whence she escorted supply ships back to the beachhead and from then , with few interruptions , she remained anchored in Maeajalar Bay until 9 August . Six days later , at Subic Bay , she received news of the Japanese acceptance of surrender terms . End - of - war activity . For the remainder of August and into September , she escorted ships between Subic Bay and Okinawa . Then , toward the end of the month , the destroyer extended her escort duty to Tokyo Bay . There on the 21st and 22d , she returned to Luzon on the 27th and for the next month operated in Philippine waters . On 28 November she got underway for the United States , arriving at San Pedro , California , 17 December . Post - war decommissioning . Later shifted to San Diego , California , she joined the 19th Fleet and commenced inactivation . Decommissioned 16 September 1946 , she remained in the Pacific Reserve Fleet , berthed initially at San Diego , California , then at Bremerton , Washington , until struck from the Navy list , 1 January 1968 . She was subsequently destroyed as a target . Awards . " Robert Brazier " ( DE - 345 ) earned one battle star during World War II .