USS Fechteler ( DD - 870 ) USS " Fechteler " ( DD - 870 ) , named for Rear Admiral Augustus Francis Fechteler USN ( 1857 – 1921 ) and / or his son Lieutenant Frank Casper Fechteler ( 1897 - 1922 ) , was a " Gearing " - class destroyer laid down by the Bethlehem Steel Corporation at Staten Island in New York on 12 April 1945 , launched on 19 September 1945 by Miss Joan S . Fechteler , granddaughter of Rear Admiral Fechteler and niece of Lieutenant Fechteler , sponsor of the first " USS Fechteler " and commissioned on 2 March 1946 . " Fechteler " operated with the Seventh Fleet in support of United Nations Forces during the Korean War , underwent conversion to a radar picket destroyer from 1 April to 1 December 1953 , alternated operations along the west coast and in Hawaiian waters with deployments to the western Pacific with the Seventh Fleet , and participated in Sea Dragon and Market Time operations , patrolled on search and rescue duties and carried out naval gunfire support missions during the Vietnam War . " Fechteler " was decommissioned and stricken from the Naval Vessel Register on 11 September 1970 and sold for scrap on 28 June 1972 . Before the Korean War . Her home port was Norfolk , Virginia . " Fechteler " operated with carriers in the Virginia Capes area , and made a brief winter cruise to Argentia , Newfoundland . On 6 January 1947 she sailed from Norfolk for the west coast , and on 26 May sailed from San Diego for her first tour of duty in the Far East . Serving in the occupation , she called at several Chinese ports , as well as at Okinawa , Hong Kong , Yokosuka , and Guam . She returned to San Diego 22 January 1948 , to resume west coast training operations . Korean War . " Fechteler " completed a second tour of duty in the Far East in 1949 , and in June 1950 , when the Korean War broke out , was at sea off San Francisco on exercises . At once she sailed for Pearl Harbor , where she stood by in preparation for the possible spreading of the conflict , and on 14 July returned to San Diego to prepare for Korean service . She served in the Far East on two war - time deployments , the first from 13 November 1950 to 8 August 1951 , the second from 23 February 1952 to 29 September 1952 . During both of these , she screened TF 77 in its air operations , sailed with the escort and patrol force , and gave bombardment and close gunfire support to the troops ashore . Radar picket destroyer . " Fechteler " was decommissioned and placed in reserve 1 April 1953 , for conversion to a radar picket destroyer . Recommissioned 1 December 1953 , she sailed 10 May 1954 for duty in the Far East until 6 September , when she sailed on westward to join the Atlantic Fleet at Newport , arriving 27 October . In addition to participating in the Atlantic schedule of east coast and Caribbean exercises , she also joined in a midshipman cruise in the summer of 1955 , voyaging to Malaga , Spain ; Plymouth , England ; and Guantanamo Bay , Cuba . Once more assigned to the Pacific Fleet , Fechteler sailed from Newport 14 May 1956 for Long Beach , which she reached 28 June . In 1956 , 1957 – 58 , 1958 – 59 , and 1960 , she cruised in the Far East on duty with the 7th Fleet , serving both on the Taiwan Patrol , and with carrier task forces as a radar warning ship . " Fechteler " received five battle stars for Korean War service .