USS Noa ( DD - 343 ) The first USS " Noa " ( DD - 343 / APD - 24 ) was a " Clemson " - class destroyer in the United States Navy following World War I . She was named for Loveman Noa . History . " Noa " was built by the Norfolk Navy Yard , Portsmouth , Virginia . Authorized 6 October 1917 , she was laid down 18 November 1918 ; launched 28 June 1919 ; sponsored by Mrs . Albert Morehead , sister of Midshipman Loveman Noa ; and commissioned 15 February 1921 . Following shakedown out of Virginia , " Noa " operated out of Charleston , South Carolina . Through May 1922 , she participated in Atlantic Coast training maneuvers . In late May , she sailed for duty on the Asiatic Station , steaming via the Mediterranean and Aden and Ceylon . She reached Singapore 14 August and on 30 September , she arrived at her new home yard at Cavite , Philippine Islands . Through the summer of 1922 , " Noa " remained active on the Asiatic station . She patrolled Chinese and Philippine waters and attempted to protect American interests during the Chinese Civil War , which was renewed in November 1922 . On 27 February 1927 , the " Noa " arrived at Nanjing , China , relieving USS " Simpson " as the ship stationed there " to protect American lives and property . " On 24 March 1927 , with her sister ship , USS " William B . Preston " , and Royal Navy light cruiser HMS " Emerald " , she helped to rescue foreigners from Nanjing . The three ships used their main batteries to lay down a barrage of shrapnel and high explosive on Socony Hill , driving back hostile Chinese forces and also halting sniping along the Nanjing Bund and a sortie by Kuomintang gunboats . This allowed refugees to retreat down the hill to the safety of U . S . and British warships . " Noa " also participated in the periodic fleet exercises which were intended to keep crew and equipment at peak efficiency . Upon return to the United States on 14 August 1929 , " Noa " went into the Mare Island Navy Yard for overhaul before assignment to West Coast operations . Through the next five years , she operated out of San Diego as a unit of the Battle Fleet . During the fall and winter of 1929 , " Noa " was called upon to assist in plane guard duties with carriers and , off the California coast . She thus participated in the early development of U . S . carrier - group tactics . She also took part in the fleet exercises from 1930 to 1934 . " Noa " served as cruiseship for NROTC students from the University of California , Berkeley , 17 June – 8 July 1934 , steamed for Philadelphia , Pennsylvania 14 August , decommissioned there 11 November , and was placed in reserve . World War II . " Noa " recommissioned at Philadelphia on 1 April 1940 and was fitted with a seaplane which nested just forward of the after deckhouse , replacing the after torpedo tubes . At the same time , a boom for lifting the aircraft was stepped in place of the mainmast . She steamed for the Delaware Capes in May and conducted tests with an XSOC - 1 seaplane piloted by Lt . G . L . Heap . The plane was hoisted onto the ocean for takeoff and then recovered by " Noa " while the ship was underway . Lt . Heap also made an emergency flight 15 May to transfer a sick man to the Naval Hospital at Philadelphia . Such dramatic demonstrations convinced the Secretary of the Navy that destroyer - based scout planes had value , and on 27 May , he directed that six new destroyers of the soon - to - be - constructed " Fletcher " - class ( DD 476 - 481 ) be fitted with catapults and handling equipment . Because of mechanical deficiencies in the hoisting gear , the program was cancelled early in 1943 . The concept thus failed to mature as a combat technique , but the destroyer - observation seaplane team was to be revived under somewhat modified conditions during later amphibious operations . " Noa " spent much of the next two years on experimental assignments and on midshipman training operations out of Annapolis , Maryland . She underwent availability at Boston Navy Yard the first week of December 1941 and then participated in Chesapeake Bay exercises through 27 December . Next , she steamed for Key West , Florida and participated in shakedown of major fleet units in the Gulf of Mexico . After acting as plane and screen guard for carrier , she steamed for Hampton Roads . En route , a large wave carried away part of her bridge and she put in at Charleston , S . C . for emergency repairs . She then steamed for Boston via Bermuda . Upon completion of repairs at Boston Navy Yard , she was directed to conduct Atlantic coast antisubmarine warfare ( ASW ) patrols , commencing 25 March 1943 . At 09 . 03 hours on 3 April 1943 , the unescorted " Gulfstate " ( Master James Frank Harrell , lost ) was hit by two torpedoes from U - 155 about 50 miles southeast of Marathon Key , Florida , while steaming a nonevasive course at 10 . 5 knots . Eight officers , 26 crewmen and nine armed guards were lost . Three of the wounded were later transferred to " Noa " for medical treatment . She also participated in the training program for the Navy ' s Sound School at Key West . Until 28 July , she operated out of Key West , assigned training , patrol , rescue , and convoy escort duties . " Noa " reported to the Sixth Amphibious Forces 31 July . During August and September , she was converted , at Norfolk Navy Yard , to a high speed transport and was reclassified APD - 24 on 10 August 1943 . Work was completed 17 September and after shakedown in the Chesapeake river , she departed Norfolk 18 October and escorted to San Diego via the Panama Canal , arriving 2 November . " Noa " steamed for Pearl Harbor 4 November , arriving 10 November for a week of yard availability . Underway 19 November , she escorted SS " J . H . Kincaid " to Espiritu Santo , New Hebrides via Samoa , arriving 4 December . She departed 5 December and steamed to Buna , New Guinea , where she assumed duty as landing craft control ship 11 December . In this capacity , she steamed between Buna , and Cape Cretin , New Guinea . She was detached from this duty and anchored off Cape Sudest 21 December . She steamed for Cape Gloucester , New Britain , 25 December and arrived just before dawn the next day . After a preliminary bombardment by naval and army air units , " Noa " landed 144 officers and men of the First Marine Division . She returned to Cape Sudest via Buna 27 December to take on 203 more First Division Marines , who reinforced the forces at Cape Gloucester 29 December . Her operations in the Cape Gloucester landings extended through 1 March 1944 . " Noa ' s " participation in the Bismarck Archipelago operation also took her through the Green Island landings ( 15 – 19 February ) . In the Purvis Bay area of the Solomon Islands , she performed patrol and escort operations 21 February – 7 March . She next steamed to Tassafaronga Point , Guadalcanal and took on Fourth Marine Division troops for the Emirau Island assault of 23 March . By 8 April , she was back at Cape Cretin , New Guinea , where she took on troops for the Hollandia amphibious operations that extended from late April through 1 May . " Noa " steamed for Pearl Harbor 11 May , arrived 23 May , and embarked units of the Second Marine Division for transport to Saipan . She patrolled assigned areas off Saipan 15 June and that day shot down a raiding aircraft . The next day , she landed her troops and continued patrol operations until 24 June , when she steamed to Eniwetok Atoll . " Noa " departed Eniwetok 30 June and escorted to Saipan , arriving 4 July . She conducted patrol and screening operations off Tinian and Saipan through the next week . During the Guam operations of 12 July – 15 August , " Noa " served as a screening ship . By 16 August , she had returned to Guadalcanal and the next day , she commenced patrol operations out of Purvis Bay . Departing Purvis Bay 6 September , she steamed for the Palau Islands to conduct underwater demolition activities . While en route , she was rammed by at 0350 , 12 September 1944 . She immediately began to settle . Incredibly heroic rescue efforts were performed by the crew of " Fullam " in a bold attempt to save the sinking " Noa " ; numerous members of the team received battlefield commissions , including Seaman Joseph DeSisto . The order to abandon ship was given at 0501 , but by 0700 , " Noa " s commanding officer , Lieutenant Commander H . Wallace Boud , USNR had returned to her with a salvage party , including Lt . George A . Williams , Engineering Officer of the " Noa " who also testified at the court martial of the " Fullam " s commander . Salvage efforts failed , however , and the second order to abandon ship was given at 1030 ; the old ship sank by the stern at 1034 with no loss of life . The commanding officer of " Fullam " was court - martialed in November 1944 in San Francisco , California . " Noa " received the Yangtze Service Medal for China service in 1927 and five battle star s for World War II service .