USS J . Richard Ward ( DE - 243 ) USS J . Richard Ward ( DE - 243 ) was an Edsall - class destroyer escort built for the U . S . Navy during World War II . She served in the Atlantic Ocean the Pacific Ocean and provided destroyer escort protection against submarine and air attack for Navy vessels and convoys . She was named in honor of James Richard Ward who was awarded the Medal of Honor posthumously for his heroic efforts under fire on the USS Oklahoma ( BB - 37 ) . She was launched by Brown Shipbuilding Co . , Houston , Texas , 6 January 1943 ; sponsored by Miss Marjorie Ward , sister of " Seaman First Class Ward " ; and commissioned 5 July 1943 , Lt . T . S . Dunstan in command . World War II North Atlantic operations . Following shakedown training in waters off Bermuda , J " . Richard Ward " reached Charleston , South Carolina , 1 September 1943 where she joined Atlantic convoy escort forces . Steaming between Norfolk , Virginia , and Gibraltar in the months that followed , the ship made three complete convoy voyages in support of the Allied effort in Europe . After training in March 1944 , the ship was assigned to a hunter - killer group built around USS Tripoli ( CVE - 64 ) . Departing New York 15 March , the ships patrolled the Atlantic between the Brazilian coast and the Cape Verde Islands . No German submarines were encountered ; and they returned to New York 18 June 1944 . " J . Richard Ward " was assigned school ship duties at Norfolk during July 1944 , and in August was assigned to another hunter - killer group . This unit , headed by USS Core ( CVE - 13 ) , a veteran of the Battle of the Atlantic , sailed 8 August . After a short training period off Bermuda , the ships began scouring the Atlantic for submarines , making attacks on several sound contacts during August . After replenishing at Argentia , Newfoundland , the task group continued operations against German submarines , now greatly reduced in numbers , before returning to New York 9 October . American antisubmarine tactics and skill had once again made the sea - lanes safe . From October 1944 to January 1945 , " J . Richard Ward " performed her tactical mission during pilot qualifications . She sailed again 24 January for antisubmarine patrol in the heavy weather of the north Atlantic , returning 28 March . She was at sea on her final Atlantic cruise when the German surrender came , and returned to New York 11 May 1945 . Transfer to the Pacific Fleet . " J . Richard Ward " underwent modernization at Boston Navy Yard preparatory to transfer to the Pacific Fleet . She sailed 28 June 1945 , for refresher training in the Caribbean , then sailed via the Panama Canal for Hawaii . En route , she received word of the Japanese surrender . After her arrival Pearl Harbor 1 September , the ship screened flight operations with Tripoli . Post - War Decommissioning . The veteran destroyer escort returned to San Diego 17 October 1945 . After transiting the Canal and stopping at Norfolk , she arrived Green Cove Springs , Florida , 13 December 1945 . There she decommissioned 13 June 1946 , and entered the Reserve Fleet in Texas . She was struck from the Navy list 2 January 1971 , and she was sold for scrapping on 10 April 1972 .