USS Murphy ( DD - 603 ) USS " Murphy " ( DD - 603 ) was a " Benson " - class destroyer in the United States Navy during World War II . She was named for Lieutenant John McLeod Murphy . " Murphy " was laid down 19 May 1941 by Bethlehem Steel Corporation , Staten Island , New York ; launched 29 April 1942 ; sponsored by Miss M . Elsie Murphy , daughter of Lieutenant Murphy ; and commissioned 25 July 1942 , Commander Leonard W . Bailey in command . Service history . Following shakedown to Casco Bay , Maine , and escort duty off Halifax , Nova Scotia , " Murphy " joined the Center Attack Group , Western Naval Task Force , at Norfolk , Virginia , sailing in late October for Fedhala , Morocco , to participate in Operation Torch , the invasion of North Africa . Arriving off the landing beaches 7 November , the destroyer regulated the waves of landing craft hitting the beach the next day , then gave fire support off Point Blondin at which time the ship was hit in the after engine room during a furious exchange of fire with the Sherkhi battery , losing three men killed and 25 wounded . Immediate damage control measures prevented any serious damage and " Murphy " s crew effected repairs in time to join other fire support ships in silencing the Cape Blondin guns . " Murphy " remained off Fedhala through the Naval Battle of Casablanca , driving off an air attack 9 November , until sailing for Boston to complete repairs , arriving on the 24th . The destroyer next escorted convoys between New York and Panama , and Norfolk and Casablanca , until joining the " Dime " attack force screen for the Amphibious Battle of Gela , Sicily , in July 1943 , " " Operation Husky " " . On 10 July , while engaged in patrolling the beachhead , " Murphy " was straddled by near misses from a night air attack , puncturing her stern and wounding one man . She was again attacked two nights later , being missed by 100 yards by a German dive bomber , but continued her fire support off Sicily into August . Then , while escorting a group of transports to Palermo , she was once again attacked by dive bombers ; but this time she downed two planes . Partial Sinking and Repair . " Murphy " returned to the United States following the end of the Sicily invasion , next escorting United Kingdom bound convoys . Heading out of New York Harbor 21 October 1943 , the destroyer , in a convoy ( 17 cargo freighters , 7 destroyers , and 2 battleships ) was struck on the port side between the bridge and forward stack by the oil tanker " SS Bulkoil " , 75 miles off the coast of New Jersey . The forward third of the ship sank in 265 feet of water , taking 36 officers and men with it . The aft two - thirds was kept afloat and was towed into New York Navy Yard for 7 months of repairs , which included the replacement of the entire bow . This accident and the subsequent discovery of the exact location of the lost bow section , almost 60 years later , were the basis for the History Channel Deep Sea Detectives " Destroyer down " episode ( Season 1 episode 6 ) . Normandy Invasion . The veteran warship rejoined the fleet in time for the Normandy invasion . On 5 June 1944 , " Murphy " departed Portland , England , assigned to the assault area off Vierville , France , better known as Omaha Beach . She remained there , giving fire support and conducting screen duty for the transports through mid - June , engaging in a gun duel with shore batteries 8 June , and repelling numerous German U - boat and torpedo attacks . In July , " Murphy " steamed south to the Mediterranean , operating with TF 88 , the Aircraft Carrier Force in operation “ Dragoon , ” the invasion of southern France . She conducted fire support , plane guard , and screening duties during the landings and then departed for New York for overhaul in early September . Saudi Arabia . The destroyer resumed operations in late 1944 , joining at Norfolk to escort that ship carrying President Franklin D . Roosevelt to the Malta and Great Bitter Lake , Egypt , Conferences . Upon arrival at Great Bitter Lake , " Murphy " was detached and ordered to Jidda , Arabia , to transport King Ibn Saud of Saudi Arabia and his party to the Conference . After transiting the Suez Canal , " Murphy " became the first United States warship to enter the harbor of Jidda . " Murphy " anchored on 11 February , and the royal party came aboard the next day . King Ibn Saud had not previously left his country and had never previously traveled by ship . A large canvas tent was constructed over the forecastle to accommodate the King ' s entourage of 48 and rugs were laid over all weather decks for the King to walk upon . A corral was built between the depth charge racks on the stern to hold sheep to be slaughtered for the King ' s meals . The destroyer got underway immediately with her valuable supercargo settled in a tent on her forecastle and arrived Great Bitter Lake on the 15th . With her passengers disembarked , the warship then sailed for New York for a minor yard period , joined an antisubmarine " killer " group on duty off New England and Nova Scotia , and then in May escorted one of the last convoys to Oran , Algeria , and back . On 2 June 1945 , with war in the Atlantic won , " Murphy " entered the Boston Navy Yard for refit prior to assignment to the Pacific Fleet . The veteran warship departed Boston 10 July , steamed via the Panama Canal to the west coast , and then on to Okinawa , arriving 9 September . Being assigned to the 5th Fleet on occupation duty in southern Japanese waters , she visited Nagasaki , Yokosuka , Wakayama , and Nagoya until departing Okinawa 21 November for the United States . She steamed via Saipan , Pearl Harbor , San Diego , and the Panama Canal , arriving at Charleston , South Carolina to prepare for inactivation . She decommissioned there 9 March 1946 , and joined the Charleston Group , Atlantic Reserve Fleet . She was struck 1 November 1970 , and sold for scrap 6 October 1972 . Awards . " Murphy " received four battle star s for World War II service .