USS Kretchmer ( DE - 329 ) USS Kretchmer ( DE - 329 ) was an built for the U . S . Navy during World War II . She served in the Atlantic Ocean and the Pacific Ocean and provided destroyer escort protection against submarine and air attack for Navy vessels and convoys . She was named in honor of Ensign Raymond Joseph Kretchmer who was killed in action during the Battle of Savo Island . She was laid down 28 June 1943 , by Consolidated Steel Corporation , Orange , Texas ; launched 31 August 1943 ; sponsored by Miss Betty Kretchmer , sister of Ensign Kretchmer ; and commissioned 13 December 1943 , with Lieutenant R . C . Wing , in command . World War II North Atlantic operations . After a Bermuda shakedown " Kretchmer " departed Charleston , South Carolina , 15 February 1944 , for operations in the Caribbean . Based at Port - of - Spain , Trinidad , she escorted convoys to Cuba and Bermuda until sailing for Key West , Florida , 2 May . Assigned to an air wing training detachment , " Kretchmer " operated with torpedo bombers for 3 weeks , before departing Charleston 8 June escorting a convoy to Europe . Sailing via Curaçao , D . W . I . , " Kretchmer " screened shipping bound for Naples , Italy , in preparation for the assaults on southern France . After returning to the United States 16 July , the escort ship made one more cruise to Naples during the summer . Transfer to the Pacific Fleet . Between 20 September 1944 and 27 April 1945 , " Kretchmer " sailed as escort to five convoys from New York to United Kingdom ports . After victory in Europe , she prepared for Pacific Fleet duty arriving Pearl Harbor 5 July . Clearing Pearl Harbor 1 August , " Kretchmer " was en route to the Philippines when hostilities stopped on 14 August . Serving in the Far East until 1 April 1946 , the destroyer escort engaged in occupation and repatriation operations , including the evacuation of Allied prisoners of war from Formosa during September 1945 . " Kretchmer " also served on escort duty , mine patrol , and mail runs between Chinese ports . Departing Hong Kong 1 April 1946 , she returned home by way of the Indian Ocean and Mediterranean , arriving Charleston , South Carolina , 29 May . " Kretchmer " decommissioned at Green Cove Springs , Florida , 20 September 1946 . Conversion to picket ship . After extensive conversion , " Kretchmer " recommissioned as DER - 329 on 22 September 1956 , Lt . Comdr . C . F . Fadeley in command . After shakedown in the Caribbean , the radar picket arrived at Boston , Massachusetts , 18 December to commence operations in the Northern Radar Barrier . Based at Newport , Rhode Island , from 1957 to 1962 , she remained on picket duty , making regular patrols to provide early warning to the continental air defense systems . " Kretchmer " also made cruises to northern Europe in 1958 , 1961 , and 1962 , and in August 1961 rescued six men from foundered Icelandic fishing vessel MV Sleipnir . Cuban Missile Crisis activity . In the aftermath of the Cuban Missile Crisis , " Kretchmer " departed Newport 23 November 1962 for picket duty off the southern coast of the United States . While operating as plane guard and screen for in Key West , Florida , waters , " Kretchmer " rescued two shrimp fishermen from disabled fishing vessel MV Ala , after they had been fired upon by Cuban MiG aircraft . On 21 February 1963 , while " Kretchmer " was guarding Ala , a MiG - 17 made four passes at the disabled fishing craft before turning tail ahead of U . S . Marine aircraft . " Kretchmer " continued picket and training operations in the Atlantic until 21 May 1965 , when she entered Boston Naval Shipyard for overhaul prior to deployment in the western Pacific . The ship departed Newport , Rhode Island , for Guam , arriving 2 August after a stopover at Pearl Harbor . Vietnam operations . One month later , " Kretchmer " joined other vessels off the South Vietnam coast in Operation Market Time , keeping coastal traffic under surveillance to prevent the shipment of Communist arms and supply to South Vietnam by sea . Her motor whaleboat came under heavy small arms fire during a roundup operation in November . No American casualties resulted and " Krctchmer ' s " search party seized a large number of suspected guerrilla infiltrators . By the end of a year of patrol , the ship had investigated some 17 , 000 contacts , and boarded over 1 , 000 small craft . On 10 December " Kretchmer " steamed into Apra Harbor , Guam , where she remained until her departure 22 February 1966 for a 7 - month deployment with the 7th Fleet . She continued " Market Time " patrol off the northwest coast of Vietnam and provided gunfire support for the Marines and Army on shore . She left Subic Bay 29 September for her homeport , Guam , where she remained through part of October . " Kretchmer " then departed for further radar picket escort duties off Vietnam through 1966 into 1967 . Her continued presence on the South China seacoasts delineated the commitment of the United States to the preservation of the independence of South Vietnam . She was decommissioned 1 October 1973 and stricken 30 September 1973 . She was sold for scrapping 14 May 1974 .