USS Ericsson ( DD - 440 ) USS " Ericsson " ( DD - 440 ) , a , was the third ship of the United States Navy to be named after John Ericsson , who is best known for devising and building the Civil War ironclad . " Ericsson " was launched 23 November 1940 by Federal Shipbuilding and Drydock Co . , Kearny , New Jersey ; sponsored by Mrs . Ruth E . Wallgren , great - great - grandniece of John Ericsson ; and commissioned 13 March 1941 , Lieutenant Commander G . E . Sage in command . 1941 - 1942 . After shakedown , " Ericsson " arrived at Norfolk , Virginia , her home port , on 2 May 1941 . Immediately the " Ericsson " began operations along the East Coast and Bermuda , training Naval Reserve midshipmen , exercising with submarine s , making tests of her equipment and machinery , and joining in battle practice . In the fall of 1941 , she twice voyaged to Newfoundland and Iceland , escorting convoys , continuing this service after the United States entered World War II . Patrolling off NS Argentia , Newfoundland on 15 January 1942 , she sighted the life rafts of sunken SS " Dagrose " , from which she rescued two survivors . Her rescue work also includes patrol service during the rescue of survivors from the torpedo ed Coast Guard cutter USCGC " Hamilton " ( WPG - 34 ) on 30 January 1942 . " Ericsson " escorted a convoy to the Panama Canal Zone in May 1942 , and another to Ireland and Scotland in June . Through the remainder of the summer , she escorted convoys along the east coast and in the Caribbean and took part in exercises , and also patrolled out of San Juan , Puerto Rico . On 24 October , she sortied from Norfolk for the invasion of North Africa , and took part in the landings on the coast of French Morocco 8 November . For the next week she offered direct fire support to the troops ashore , assisting in knocking out four enemy batteries on a ridge commanding the landing area the first day ; she also screened transports lying off the beach . " Ericsson " returned to Norfolk 26 November . 1943 - 1944 . After a brief overhaul at Charleston , " Ericsson " returned to patrol and escort duty in the Caribbean and to Recife and Trinidad . In May 1943 , she made the first of five convoy escort voyages to Casablanca from east coast ports , between which she joined in training , and patrolled the western Atlantic . On 11 February 1944 she arrived at Gibraltar for duty in the Mediterranean , and through the next six months , operated primarily to support the troops fighting the bitter campaign for Italy . She escorted convoys and carried passengers between north African and Italian ports , bombarded points near the fiercely contested Anzio area and in the Gulf of Gaeta , patrolled off anchorages and harbors , and joined in exercises preparing for the invasion of southern France . On 13 August 1944 , " Ericsson " sortied from Malta in a task group composed primarily of British ships , but including one French ship and the remainder of " Ericsson " ' s division . This group covered one section of the amphibious landings on southern France from 15 to 17 August , and Ericsson , after screening to Corsica , returned to join an American task group and fire bombardments along the French coast . She also served on patrol , and on 27 August intercepted a trawler , in which the crew of a German submarine , previously grounded and scuttled in the area , were attempting to escape through the American patrol line . Fifty prisoners were thus taken . " Ericsson " remained in the Mediterranean for patrol and escort assignments until 11 November , when she sailed from Oran to the Azores on escort duty . Upon her return to Gibraltar , she got underway for New York City , arriving 30 November for overhaul . After refresher training , " Ericsson " escorted a convoy to Oran from the east coast in April 1945 , and while returning to Boston , on 5 May joined and in a submarine hunt off Block Island . With other ships joining from time to time , and two airships helping to determine the final sinking , the three ships found and sank " U - 853 " . At Boston from 6 May to 18 June , " Ericsson " prepared for Pacific service , and after training in the Caribbean and at Pearl Harbor , escorted a group of transports to Saipan , arriving 13 September 1945 . 1945 , transfer to Pacific and fate . " Ericsson " sailed to Okinawa , Japan , the Philippines , and back to Japan again on escort duty until leaving Sasebo astern 14 October 1945 , bound with servicemen eligible for discharge to San Diego . She continued to Charleston , arriving 5 December 1945 , and there was decommissioned 15 March 1946 and placed in reserve . " Ericsson " received three battle star s for World War II service .