USS James C . Owens ( DD - 776 ) USS " James C . Owens " ( DD - 776 ) , an " Allen M . Sumner " - class destroyer , is the only ship of the United States Navy to be named for Lieutenant James C . Owens , Jr . , a member of Torpedo Squadron 8 on board " Hornet " ( CV - 8 ) . His entire squadron was lost in an attack against Japanese carriers 4 June during the Battle of Midway . Lt . Owens received the Navy Cross and the Presidential Unit Citation ( US ) posthumously . " James C . Owens " ( DD - 776 ) was laid down 9 April 1944 , by the Bethlehem Steel Co . , San Pedro , California ; launched 1 October 1944 ; sponsored by Mrs . James C . Owens , Jr . , widow of Lt . Owens ; and commissioned 17 February 1945 , Commander R . H . Blair in command . World War II . After shakedown off southern California , " James C . Owens " departed San Pedro 10 May escorting " California " ( BB - 44 ) to Pearl Harbor , arriving 16 May . She cleared Pearl Harbor 24 May and sailed as convoy escort via Eniwetok and Ulithi to Okinawa . Arriving 17 June , she continued to Kerama Retto to join DesRon 24 , which steamed 24 June for Leyte , where it joined a cruiser - destroyer striking force . Sailing 13 July via Okinawa , the force entered the East China Sea 22 July to conduct antishipping sweeps . " James C . Owens " operated with the striking force for a month and then operated out of Okinawa until departing 20 September for Japan as part of the Wakayama Occupation Group . Arriving 22 September , she supported occupation landings , patrolled off southern Japanese islands , and served as courier and escort ship . Steaming from Japan 5 December , she reached San Diego the 22nd , departed for the East Coast 3 January 1946 , and arrived New York 15 January . For more than 16 months , " James C . Owens " operated along the Atlantic Coast from New England to Texas . She conducted ASW training out of Newport , Rhode Island ; participated in destroyer maneuvers off the Florida coast ; and served as escort and plane guard for " Saipan " ( CVL - 48 ) in the Gulf of Mexico . Following operations out of Norfolk , Virginia , she departed Quonset Point , Rhode Island , 30 July 1947 , with DesRon 2 for deployment with the 6th Fleet . She cruised the Mediterranean from Algeria to Italy and supported U . S . efforts to settle the unstable situation in Trieste before returning to the United States 21 December . She returned to the Mediterranean in June 1948 and supported U . N . efforts to establish peace between Israeli and Arab forces . During this deployment , she patrolled the coast of Palestine , supported the evacuation of the U . N . Mediation Team in July , and helped to prevent the spread of conflict in the Middle East . Returning home early in October , she operated along the Atlantic coast until she decommissioned at Charleston , South Carolina , 3 April 1950 . Korean War . With the outbreak of war in Korea and increased tension in Europe and the Middle East , " James C . Owens " recommissioned 20 September 1950 , Comdr . R . B . Erly in command ; and commenced readiness and antisubmarine training operations . Departing for the Far East 22 January 1952 , she arrived in the Western Pacific 27 February for blockade and interdiction patrols along the Korean coast . While operating off Songjin 7 May , she engaged enemy shore batteries and silenced several of them , but sustained six direct hits . Departing Korea 22 June , she steamed via the Indian Ocean and Mediterranean to Norfolk arriving 19 August . She returned to Korean waters 10 November 1953 , and patrolled coastal waters to prevent violations of the armistice signed 27 July . She remained on this important peace - keeping duty in the Far East until she departed Yokosuka , Japan , 11 March 1954 . Steaming via Midway , the West Coast and the Panama Canal , she arrived Norfolk 1 May . For almost 2 years " James C . Owens " operated out of Norfolk and Guantanamo Bay on ASW and destroyer division maneuvers . While in the Caribbean during September 1955 , she provided search and rescue assistance to the citizens of Puerto Rico after a destructive hurricane . In April 1956 she sailed with DesDiv 221 via Northern Europe for the Middle East to operate in the Mediterranean , Red Sea , and Persian Gulf . During the Suez Crisis she transited the Canal to demonstrate American interest in a peaceful solution of the crisis . Returning to Norfolk in October , she again deployed to the Mediterranean 28 February 1957 to support the 6th Fleet as guardian of peace in the Middle East ; then she returned to Norfolk 7 May . On 3 September she sailed to the North Atlantic for the NATO Operation Strikeback ; after coastal operations for 8 months , she deployed 6 June 1958 , on a midshipman cruise to northern Europe . Following fleet and NATO operations , she returned to Norfolk 4 August . " James C . Owens " deployed on her fifth cruise to the Mediterranean and Middle East 7 August 1959 . She ranged the Mediterranean from Italy to Lebanon and transited Suez 14 October for 2 months of patrol and convoy escort exercises in the Red Sea and Persian Gulf . Returning to the Mediterranean 15 December , she operated with the 6th Fleet for 2 months ; then sailed for Norfolk , arriving 3 March 1960 . During September she joined NATO forces in the North Atlantic for Operation " Swordthrust , " which stressed both offensive and defensive naval tactics of atomic warfare . In November she steamed to the Caribbean and patrolled the coasts of Nicaragua and Guatemala to intercept Cuban arms bound for Castro - oriented rebels . Retiring to Norfolk 20 December , she departed for the Mediterranean 2 February 1961 . Before returning to Norfolk 20 August , she operated with the 6th Fleet from Spain to Greece . After joining the ASW Defense Force 25 September , " James C . Owens " steamed to Charleston 11 January 1962 , for an 8 - month FRAM II overhaul that readied her for a new and vital role in the modern Navy . She resumed operations on 19 December with surveillance patrols off the Cuban coast , then returned to Charleston 4 January 1963 , for fleet exercises . Departing 6 August with DesDiv 42 for the Mediterranean again she conducted ASW operations with the 6th Fleet from France to Cyprus . Returning to the United States 23 December , she received DASH facilities at Norfolk during February 1964 . She continued her ASW operations during a midshipman cruise to the Mediterranean 11 June - 3 September . During the remainder of 1964 , " James C . Owens " maintained her peak efficiency and readiness in coastal operations with nuclear submarines . The ship departed Charleston , 17 February 1965 for a Mediterranean cruise , and carried out advanced antisubmarine operations during her deployment . After her returning to Charleston 12 July , she was designated a recovery ship for the Gemini V orbital space mission . With the mission successfully completed , the ship returned to her home port 13 September . On 2 November she entered the Charleston Naval Shipyard for extended overhaul . In March 1966 " James C . Owens " was back on the line at Guantanamo Bay . While there she rendered assistance to burning cruise ship , " Viking Princess " . After returning to Charleston for a brief visit , " James C . Owens " embarked midshipmen for their annual at - sea training . In late August she was assigned as the close - in recovery ship for the second in a series of Apollo unmanned space launches . In September the destroyer was deployed with the 6th Fleet ; and , while operating in the Aegean Sea , she was ordered to the scene of sinking Greek ferry " Heraklion " , where she helped rescue the crew . " James C . Owens " returned to Charleston 31 January 1967 . " James C . Owens " received two battle stars for World War II service and two for the Korean War .