USS Johnnie Hutchins ( DE - 360 ) USS " Johnnie Hutchins " ( DE - 360 ) 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 . She served her nation in the Pacific Ocean , and , post - war , she returned home proudly with a Navy Unit Commendation awarded to her for her battle with Japanese midget submarines 9 August 1945 . USS " Johnnie Hutchins " was named in honor of Johnnie David Hutchins who was awarded the nation ’ s highest honor , the Medal of Honor , for giving his own life in order to save his shipmates on 4 September 1943 aboard USS LST 473 during the assault on Lae , New Guinea . She was laid down 6 March 1944 by Consolidated Steel Corp . , Ltd . , Orange , Texas ; launched 2 May 1944 ; sponsored by Mrs . Johnnie M . Hutchins , mother of " Seaman First Class Hutchins " ; and commissioned 28 August 1944 , Comdr . H . M . Godsey in command . World War II North Atlantic operations . The new escort vessel sailed for shakedown training out of Bermuda 11 September 1944 , and 5 days later encountered the survivors of destroyer , sunk in a hurricane off the U . S . East Coast . " Johnnie Hutchins " rescued 34 officers and men and , after transporting them to Norfolk , Virginia , continued to Bermuda . The ship completed exhaustive shakedown exercises and arrived Boston , Massachusetts , 25 October 1944 for brief coastal convoy duties between that port and Norfolk . Transfer to the Pacific Theater . " Johnnie Hutchins " got underway for the Pacific Ocean 30 November from Norfolk , steaming by way of the Panama Canal , Bora Bora , and Manus , and arriving Hollandia 21 January 1945 . Five days later she steamed from $ 3 to Leyte on her first Pacific escort assignment , arriving Leyte Gulf 31 January . During the months that followed the ship acted as an escort for resupply and reinforcement convoys from advance bases to Lingayen and Leyte , thus contributing to the imminent defeat of Japan . Supporting Philippine area operations . The destroyer escort arrived Subic Bay , Philippines , 22 May 1945 to join a hunter - killer group . In June and July she trained with American and British submarines and carried out antisubmarine searches in preparation for the eventual invasion of Japan . Attacked by Japanese midget submarines . While operating with a task group in the shipping lanes between Luzon and Okinawa 9 August 1945 , Johnnie Hutchins encountered a surfaced midget submarine , and was taken under fire . As the ship ' s accurate gunnery succeeded in sinking the Japanese sub , another fired a torpedo at her . Captain Godsey skillfully avoided the " fish " and with a well - placed series of depth charges sank the second submarine . A third was probably damaged by depth charges the same day . End - of - war assignments . After the end of the war against Japan , " Johnnie Hutchins " spent 2 months escorting ships through swept channels and acting as air - sea rescue ship off Okinawa . She also steamed off Japan and Korea during the occupation . In early October the ship arrived Shanghai for duty with U . S . Marines attempting to stabilize the turbulent Chinese situation . She escorted vessels to and from various occupied ports until 22 November 1945 when she weighed anchor in the Yangtze River and headed eastward to Pearl Harbor . Johnnie Hutchins arrived San Pedro , California , 15 December 1945 . Supporting Naval Reserve training . Following decommissioning at San Diego , California , 14 May 1946 , " Johnnie Hutchins " made two month - long Naval Reserve training cruises to the Hawaiian Islands , one in the summer of 1948 and one in 1949 . In early 1950 the ship steamed through the Panama Canal to Boston , where she was assigned permanent duty as Naval Reserve Training Ship for the 1st Naval District . " Johnnie Hutchins " was placed in commission " in reserve " 23 June 1950 , and in commission 22 November 1950 , Lt . Comdr . B . H . Patek in command . With a skeleton crew supplemented by Naval Reservists , the destroyer escort made regular training cruises during the next few years , visiting Montreal , Quebec , and many Caribbean ports . With a task group of other training ships she made a voyage to Europe in June – July 1955 . Final decommissioning . " Johnnie Hutchins " continued her vital task of keeping at a high level the skills and readiness of our reserve officers and men until decommissioning 25 February 1958 at Bayonne , New Jersey . She entered the Atlantic Reserve Fleet and was berthed at Philadelphia , Pennsylvania . She was struck from the Navy list on 1 July 1972 , and , on 5 February 1974 , she was sold for scrapping . Awards . " Johnnie Hutchins " received the Navy Unit Commendation for her battle with midget submarines 9 August 1945 .