USS Goff ( DD - 247 ) USS " Goff " ( DD - 247 ) was a " Clemson " - class destroyer in the United States Navy during World War II . She was named for Secretary of the Navy Nathan Goff , Jr . " Goff " , built by the New York Shipbuilding Corporation , was launched 2 June 1920 ; sponsored by Mrs . Nathan Goff , widow of the former Secretary of the Navy ; and commissioned at the Philadelphia Navy Yard on 19 January 1921 , Lieutenant , junior grade Rodman D . deKay in command . Service history . For the first 2 years of her long service , " Goff " operated along the Atlantic coast , conducting battle practice and exercises in the yearly Caribbean fleet maneuvers as well as off the East Coast . In September 1922 , the destroyer was detached from this duty and assigned to the Atlantic Fleet , European Waters . Departing Norfolk , Virginia on 14 October 1922 , she cruised primarily in the eastern Mediterranean , putting in at ports in Turkey , Bulgaria , Russia , Egypt , Palestine , Syria , Greece , and Romania . It was a period of great unrest in the Balkans and eastern Mediterranean : Greece and Turkey were at war , various powers were scrambling to consolidate after World War I and gain control over the now - defunct Ottoman empire , and Russia , although still wracked by the Russian Revolution and its aftermath , was seeking further territory and an outlet to the Mediterranean . The presence of American men - of - war amidst this tension assisted various relief agencies working to mitigate the damage from past and present wars as well as protect American lives , interests , and property . Refugees from the Greek and Turkish conflict were frequently evacuated and cared for by the American fleet , and " Goff " participated in this humanitarian service , particularly at Marsina , where from 18 to 20 July 1923 she supervised evacuation of hundreds of Turkish refugees . Returning to the United States on 11 August , " Goff " engaged in battle problems and tactical exercises off the East Coast and then on 3 January 1924 joined the Scouting Fleet for winter battle practice with the combined fleets in the Caribbean , " Goff " returned to Norfolk , Virginia for further exercises and on 5 January 1925 sailed for Pearl Harbor , arriving 24 April for fleet battle exercises . She returned to New York 17 July . This established pattern of coastwise exercises and fleet maneuvers was broken in the fall of 1926 , as " Goff " and engaged in rescue work on the Isle of Pines , Cuba , which had been devastated by the hurricane of 19 – 20 October . Flying in stores via " Milwaukee ' s " planes and sending their own doctors and medical supplies ashore , the two American ships gave aid to the stricken island and its predominantly American population . After overhaul , " Goff " returned to the Caribbean in January 1927 with the Special Service Squadron . Civil war was underway in Nicaragua , and ships of the American fleet cruised along the coast to protect American lives and property , and to evacuate American citizens if necessary . From Nicaragua , " Goff " returned to her regular routine along the Atlantic coast , tactical exercises spiced by winter maneuvers in the Caribbean , a pattern to which she held for several years . Routine was interrupted by occasional special tasks , the most notable of which came in June 1927 . " Goff " was part of the flotilla which steamed out from the East Coast to greet and escort and her special passenger , Charles Lindbergh , as he returned from his transatlantic flight to a hero ' s welcome in New York . " Goff " also in June 1930 carried the President - elect of Colombia from Newport , Rhode Island to West Point . She decommissioned at the Philadelphia Navy Yard on 13 January 1931 . Recommissioning 2 March 1932 , Lieutenant Commander Walter M . Wynne commanding , " Goff " spent the following year cruising along the East Coast training naval reserve crews . Revolution again flared up in the Caribbean , and " Goff " returned there 5 October 1933 to protect Americans in Cuba , where the conflict was located . Departing Cuba 2 April 1934 , " Goff " resumed maneuvers along the East Coast until 9 November 1935 , when she joined the Pacific Fleet at San Diego , California . She remained in the Pacific , operating along the coast and taking part in Hawaiian exercises , until 4 January 1939 , when she departed San Diego for New York . Arriving there 20 April , " Goff " again cruised the East Coast training reserves until 8 September , when she entered New England waters on Neutrality Patrol . After overhaul and refitting for European duty at New York , " Goff " joined Destroyer Division 55 at Ponta Delgada , Azores , on 29 June 1940 to take her place as flagship of the division . Cruising to Portugal , " Goff " and her division operated out of Lisbon , engaging in various exercises before returning to Norfolk 21 September . World War II . Joining DesDiv 67 as flagship , " Goff " escorted from New London , Connecticut to Balboa , Panama Canal Zone , arriving 31 October to take up Caribbean patrol and guard duty for the Panama Canal . After America ' s entry into the war in December 1941 , " Goff " remained in the Caribbean to do double duty , as both a convoy escort and patrol vessel . This area was heavily trafficked by German U - boat s , and the undermanned Allied convoys ( as many as 25 merchantmen with only four escorts ) frequently provided easy targets . Night attacks by German submarines cost convoys which " Goff " was escorting a total of eight merchantmen sunk and several others seriously damaged . The destroyer was worked hard : she was out on patrol and convoy duty 10 days at a time and then in port only long enough to refuel and resupply ; when this could be done at sea , it was . Escorts were at a premium as the Allies struggled to maintain their supply lines . " Goff " finally had her chance to inflict real damage on the German U - boats as she left the Caribbean on 16 June 1943 and put in at New York for a long - needed overhaul . At Norfolk on 27 July , she joined , and to form an offensive antisubmarine patrol which conducted two highly successful patrols across the Atlantic . The close coordination between the carrier ' s planes and her destroyer screen was effective , during the period " Goff " was with the carrier , 27 July - 9 November 1943 , they made two voyages from Norfolk to Casablanca and were credited with sinking no fewer than eight U - boats . These patrols came to a dramatic conclusion when on 1 November Borie rammed and sunk a U - boat , but was herself fatally damaged in the process . For these two patrols " Goff " was awarded a Presidential Unit Citation ( US ) . After brief overhaul at New York , " Goff " returned to Atlantic escort duty as on 28 November she and " Barry " convoyed , loaded with aeronautical supplies and personnel , from Norfolk to Casablanca and then on to Reykjavík , Iceland , returning to New York on 31 December . " Goff " spent the first 7 months of 1944 with " Albemarle " , shepherding the tender safely to San Juan , Trinidad and Tobago , Casablanca , Recife , Brazil , and Avonmouth , England , before putting in at Boston , Massachusetts on 13 July 1944 for overhaul . Repairs completed , " Goff " engaged in antisubmarine practice at Casco Bay , Maine , and then on 28 August sailed for Key West , arriving 3 days later . At the Florida port she was attached to the Fleet Sound School and served in a variety of duties , including antisubmarine work , harbor guard , and target vessel for ships and planes in training . The destroyer departed Key West for Philadelphia on 9 June 1945 , arriving there 2 days later . Fate . " Goff " decommissioned at Philadelphia on 21 July 1945 , after 24 years of service , and was struck from the Navy Register on 13 August 1945 . Sold to the Boston Metal Salvage Company , Baltimore , Maryland , on 30 November 1945 , she was resold to the Northern Metal Company , Philadelphia , on 31 December 1945 and scrapped in November 1947 . Awards . " Goff " received two battle star s for service in World War II .