USS Naifeh ( DE - 352 ) USS " Naifeh " ( DE – 352 ) was a John C . Butler - class destroyer escort in the United States Navy . It was named for Navy Lieutenant ( Junior Grade ) Alfred Naifeh ( 5 January 1915 – 16 October 1942 ) who died when the USS " Meredith " ( DD - 434 ) sank during the Solomon Islands campaign of World War II . Lt . ( j . g . ) Naifeh was posthumously awarded the Navy and Marine Corps Medal . " Naifeh " was laid down on 29 December 1943 at the Consolidated Steel Corporation shipyard in Orange , Texas ; launched on 29 February 1944 , sponsored by Mrs . Rathia Naifeh , mother of Lt . ( j . g . ) Naifeh ; and commissioned on 4 July 1944 , with Lieutenant J . S . Albert in command . World War II . After commissioning , " Naifeh " trained and conducted shakedown off Bermuda , then had training ship duty out of Norfolk , Virginia . The ship departed Brooklyn , New York , on 6 October 1944 on the first of 2 voyages escorting convoys to Europe and North Africa . " Naifeh " departed New York on 13 January 1945 and steamed via the Panama Canal to the Pacific , arriving at Manus Island , Admiralties , on 20 February . The destroyer escort was assigned to the Philippine Sea Frontier , and was based at Leyte Gulf . She was primarily occupied in convoy duty until the end of the war , escorting tankers and other auxiliaries to New Guinea , Ulithi , Palau , Guam , Manila , and Okinawa . " Naifeh " performed other duties such as weather ship , search and rescue work , and carrying mail . Once she displayed the three star flag of Commander Philippine Sea Frontier as Vice Admiral Kauffman was embarked on an inspection tour of the islands . She rescued the crew of SS Glenns Ferry on 10 October 1945 after the merchantman had grounded near Batag Island , Philippines . " Naifeh " stood by with a watch set on the grounded ship until a salvage crew arrived from Manila . She was detached from the Philippine Sea Frontier on 27 November 1945 and proceeded to San Diego , California , arriving there on 17 December . She decommissioned on 27 June 1946 and entered the Pacific Reserve Fleet at San Diego . Korean War . With the start of the Korean War , she recommissioned on 26 January 1951 . " Naifeh " left San Diego on 16 April , assigned to the United Nations Escort and Blockade Force . She took station off Songjin Harbor , North Korea , on 28 June . The next months were occupied in shelling Communist military and logistics facilities , along with patrol action to clear the area of floating mine s , junks , and possible submarine s . She then screened escort carrier USS " Sicily " ( CVE - 118 ) and HMS " Glory " off the west coast of Korea . " Naifeh " returned to San Francisco in November 1951 . From early March 1952 to July , she was engaged in training exercises off the West Coast . In early July , the destroyer escort sailed from San Diego for Korea to rejoin TF 95 , Blockade and Escort Group . " Naifeh " was assigned to the northeast coast of Korea in the Songjin - Chongjin area . Here she fired on enemy shore positions , railroads , and industrial targets . Once bracketed by enemy shore fire , she successfully maneuvered out of range . With other assignments , she aided Republic of Korea Navy torpedo boat s in interdiction missions against enemy supply lines . In late fall , " Naifeh " was flagship of the Wonsan Element Commander , protecting United States and Korean minesweepers and firing on shore targets . When USS " Lewis " ( DE - 535 ) was hit by artillery fire , " Naifeh " provided protective counter - battery fire as she laid a smoke screen to cover her withdrawal . In addition to blockade duty , the destroyer escort fired on North Korean supply movements in the Wonsan area . She returned to San Diego in December 1952 . Late career . " Naifeh " again deployed to WestPac in mid - November 1953 , operating off Japan , Okinawa , and Taiwan . May 1954 was spent with Marines conducting landing exercises off Pusan , Korea . She left Sasebo on 7 June 1954 , arriving at San Diego on 26 June for a summer in operational training off the West Coast , highlighted by PACTRAEX and a visit to Seattle , Washington . " Naifeh " left San Diego on 21 November , arriving at Yokosuka on 9 December for patrol duty off the eastern coast of Korea and anti - submarine training . She assisted in the evacuation of the Tachen Islands in late January and February 1955 , and returned to San Diego on 1 June . In early March 1956 , the ship sailed for her fourth WestPac deployment . Based at Guam , the ship acted as a search and rescue ready duty ship and participated in five surveillance patrols of the Northern Marianas , Bonin , and Caroline Islands before returning to Long Beach on 24 August . The remainder of 1956 and early 1957 were occupied with training operations off the California coast . Leaving Long Beach , the destroyer escort once again deployed to the western Pacific , arriving at Guam on 30 April . In the first part of May , " Naifeh " made a patrol in the Bonin Islands . She departed Guam on 18 May and sailed for Sasebo , where she arrived on 23 May . She operated out of Sasebo and Subic Bay on patrol duties for the rest of her deployment until 12 July , when she departed Yokosuka and sailed to San Diego , arriving there on 28 July . " Naifeh " then engaged in coastal operations off the West Coast until 17 June 1960 , when she decommissioned at San Francisco . Berthed at Mare Island until 1 January 1966 , when she was struck from the Naval Vessel Register , she was towed to San Diego in early 1966 for stripping prior to being used as a target to destruction . In July , " Naifeh " was sunk as a target off San Clemente Island by a combination of naval gunfire and aircraft . Honors . " Naifeh " received three battle stars for Korean War service .