USS Cofer ( DE - 208 ) USS " Cofer " ( DE - 208 / APD - 62 ) , a " Buckley " - class destroyer escort of the United States Navy , was named in honor of John Joseph Cofer ( 1919 - 1942 ) , who was killed in action on 13 November 1942 during the Naval Battle of Guadalcanal , while serving aboard the destroyer . " Cofer " was launched on 6 September 1943 by Charleston Navy Yard , sponsored by Mrs . M . J . Cofer , mother of Seaman First Class Cofer ; and commissioned on 19 January 1944 , Lieutenant Commander Alvin P . Chester in command . Service history . " Cofer " escorted convoys on two transatlantic crossings , between New York and Gibraltar and Norfolk , Virginia and Bizerte , Tunisia , from 23 March to 30 June 1944 , returning to New York for conversion to a " Charles Lawrence " - class high speed transport . She was reclassified APD - 62 on 5 July 1944 . " Cofer " sailed from New York on 26 September 1944 , and arrived at Hollandia , New Guinea , 4 November for duty with the 7th Fleet . She carried troops in one of the first resupply convoys for landings on Leyte , sailing with a group which fought its way through Japan ese air attacks to arrive off the beaches on 24 November . Unloading at furious pace , " Cofer " was cleared the same day for Palau , where she embarked additional troops for the landings at Ormoc Bay on 7 and 8 December . On the first day , as suicide planes attacked in great number , " Cofer " joined in general firing , and went to the aid of sister ship , when she was damaged by a kamikaze . " Cofer " next came under enemy air attack on 15 December , as she landed assault troops on Mindoro . Continuing in her role in the return to the Philippines , " Cofer " landed reinforcements at Lingayen Gulf on 11 and 12 January 1945 , and then in a series of unopposed landings on Luzon , and in assaults on Palawan on 28 February , Zamboanga on 10 March , and Cebu on 26 March , the last under heavy mortar fire from the beach . Between 27 April and 8 May 1945 , " Cofer " operated as flagship and covering vessel for minesweepers clearing the waters off Tarakan , Borneo , in support of the invasion on 1 May . On 3 May , as the group swept the straits to prepare for motor torpedo boat operations off Cape Djoeata , concealed shore batteries sank YMS - 481 . " Cofer " destroyed the batteries and rescued 19 survivors of YMS - 481 . She continued to participate in minesweeping preceding the invasion of Brunei Bay from 7 to 11 June and Balikpapan from 15 June to 10 July . On 8 June , she assisted minesweeper who had struck a mine , and rescued 59 survivors , 42 of whom were injured . On 18 June , she rescued 23 survivors of YMS - 50 . " Cofer " departed San Pedro Bay , Leyte , on 29 August and arrived at Buckner Bay , Okinawa , on 1 September . She voyaged to Nagasaki in September to evacuate former prisoners of war , then returned to Sasebo , on 28 September , to operate with the 7th Fleet on various duties in support of the occupation at Okinawa and Fusan , Korea . She embarked passengers at Okinawa and departed on 26 November for San Diego , arriving on 16 December . Unloading her passengers , she sailed on 26 December for the east coast , arriving at Brooklyn on 9 January 1946 . " Cofer " was placed out of commission , in reserve , on 28 June 1946 , berthed at Green Cove Springs , Florida . Awards . " Cofer " received eight battle star s for World War II service .