USS Blue ( DD - 744 ) USS " Blue " ( DD - 744 ) , an " Allen M . Sumner " - class destroyer , was the second United States Navy ship of that name , for Lieutenant Commander John S . Blue ( 1902 – 1942 ) . " Blue " was launched 28 November 1943 by Bethlehem Steel , Staten Island , New York ; co - sponsored by Mrs . J . S . Blue and Miss Eleanor Stuart Blue , widow and daughter , respectively , of Lieutenant Commander Blue ; and commissioned 20 March 1944 , Commander Lot Ensey in command . Service history . Victor Blue was born in Richmond County , N . C . , 6 December 1865 and graduated from the Academy in 1887 . Lieutenant Blue was advanced five numbers for intelligence missions in Cuba during the Spanish - American War . He served as Chief of the Bureau of Navigation ( 1913 – 16 ) and 1919 ) and commanded Texas ( BB - 35 ) during her service with the 6th Battle Squadron . Rear Admiral Blue retired in 1919 and died 22 January 1928 . World War II . " Blue " reported to the Pacific Fleet in July 1944 and joined TF 58 at Eniwetok Atoll , Marshall Islands . While screening the fast carrier task forces , " Blue " took part in : " Blue " was damaged by typhoon of 5 June off Okinawa , and retired to Leyte for repairs . Her repairs were completed in time for the destroyer to join the 3rd Fleet for its attacks against the Japanese home islands ( 10 July – 15 August ) . On 27 August , " Blue " captured " I - 400 " off the coast of Honshū and brought her to just outside of port ( where another vessel took custody of her ) . " Blue " was one of the ships which escorted the " Missouri " into Tokyo Bay 29 August for the signing of the Japanese Instrument of Surrender at Yokosuka Naval Base . Post - War . After a short overnight stay , " Blue " then steamed to San Francisco arriving 5 October 1945 , and shortly thereafter sailed to Puget Sound Navy Yard for complete overhaul . " Blue " completed her overhaul in January 1946 , and was assigned to Destroyer Division 92 , 7th Fleet . On 10 February she departed the west coast for Asiatic waters , via Pearl Harbor , Guam , and the Philippines , and arrived on the China coast 13 May . During the remainder of the year she cruised in the Yellow Sea , Philippine waters , and around the Marianas Islands engaged in tactical and hunter - killer anti - submarine warfare exercises and performed patrol duty . She returned to the United States early in 1947 and on 14 February was placed out of commission in reserve at San Diego . On 14 May 1949 , " Blue " was recommissioned and assigned to Destroyer Division 72 , Pacific Fleet . After undergoing overhaul at San Francisco Naval Shipyard between June and September , she returned to Pacific Reserve Fleet and was decommissioned at San Diego 12 December 1949 . Korea . " Blue " was again placed in commission 15 September 1950 and reported to Destroyer Division 131 , Pacific Fleet . After engaging in training exercises off the coast of California , she departed San Diego early in 1951 and arrived at Yokosuka , Japan , 23 January . She operated in Korean and Japanese waters until August . During this period she steamed with Task Force 77 ( TF 77 ) off the east coast of Korea , carrying out screening , life guard , and fire support duties . Late in 1951 " Blue " proceeded to the United States for a general overhaul at San Francisco Naval Shipyard . She returned to the combat area in April 1952 and resumed operations with TF 77 off the coast of Korea . During September – October , with Task Group 95 . 20 ( TG 95 . 20 ) and TF 76 , she performed patrol duty and provided gunfire support during salvage operations . Returning to the United States in November 1952 , she underwent overhaul and engaged in scheduled exercises off the coast of California until June 1953 . On 13 June , she departed Long Beach , California , and arrived at Yokosuka 7 July . On the 17th , she resumed screening operations with TF 77 off the east coast of Japan with TG 96 . 7 and patrolled off Formosa until 19 October , when she returned to Korea . She returned to the west coast in December 1953 . In 1960 - 61 " Blue " underwent the FRAM II - modernization . She received a flight deck aft for QH - 50 DASH drones aft , new Mk 32 torpedo tubes were placed where the older 21 " ones had been . Following underway training and exercises , she departed 6 January 1962 with DesDiv 92 for a prolonged stay in the Far East . Yokosuka , Japan , served as her new home port . Periods of patrol duty preceded and followed SEATO operation “ Tulungan ” , the largest peacetime amphibious landing operation ever conducted in the western Pacific . During the next two years , the ship ranged widely over the Far East . Since that time , " Blue " carried out the normal operating routine of the Pacific Fleet destroyers . She had conducted several tours of the Far East , and during the intervals between these cruises , she conducted local operations and type training along the west coast . " Blue " was stricken 1 February 1974 , and sunk as a target ship during a missile exercise off southern California on 28 April 1977 . Awards . " Blue " received six battle star s for her World War II service and six for Korea .