USS Drayton ( DD - 366 ) USS " Drayton " ( DD - 366 ) was a " Mahan " - class destroyer in the United States Navy before and during World War II . She was the second ship named for Captain Percival Drayton . " Drayton " was launched 26 March 1936 by the Bath Iron Works , Bath , Maine ; sponsored by Miss B . E . Drayton , great - grandniece of Captain Drayton , and commissioned 1 September 1936 , with Commander R . G . Pennoyer in command . Service history . After her shakedown cruise to Europe from 6 October to 5 December 1936 , " Drayton " underwent final trials and acceptance , then sailed from Norfolk , Virginia 6 June 1937 to join the Scouting Force , at San Diego , California 19 June . On 4 July , she got underway to take part in the fruitless search for the lost aviator Amelia Earhart , participating in maneuvers at Pearl Harbor before her return to San Diego 30 July . " Drayton " exercised along the west coast , in the Hawaiian Islands , and in the Caribbean for the next 2 years . " Drayton " s home port from 12 October 1939 was Pearl Harbor . With war raging in Europe and tension increasing in the Pacific , " Drayton " joined in the constant exercises and tactical problems preparing the fleet for action . World War II . Underway as plane guard for in TF 12 when the Japan ese attacked Pearl Harbor , " Drayton " , with the force returned to Pearl Harbor 13 December 1941 after searching for Japanese raiders . Between 24 December 1941 and 7 January 1942 , she escorted a convoy to Christmas Island , making two attacks on submarine s en route . Four days later she got underway in the screen of for an air strike on Bougainville on 20 February , returning to Pearl Harbor on the 24th . After screening a tanker to Suva Harbor , Fiji Islands , " Drayton " sailed for the United States 25 March and arrived at San Pedro , California , 5 April . She joined in training exercises and patrol duty on the west coast until 1 August 1942 . " Drayton " sailed from Pearl Harbor 17 November 1942 for action in the Solomon Islands . She sortied from Espiritu Santo 29 November with TF 67 to intercept a Japanese naval force guarding transports en route to reinforce Guadalcanal . That night , the American ships battled a determined Japanese force off Tassafaronga . When the action was over , " Drayton " picked up 128 survivors , including the commanding officer from , and returned to Espiritu Santo 2 December . " Drayton " continued to operate in the Solomons campaign , bombarding Munda , New Georgia , and protecting transports bound for the Russell Islands . She escorted the unladen transports to Wellington , New Zealand , then returned to Noumea 7 March 1943 for exercises and patrol with TF 64 . " Drayton " sailed from Nouméa 13 May 1943 as escort for a transport convoy and arrived at Townsville , Australia 4 days later . Through the summer , she escorted Australian transports carrying troops from Townsville to Milne Bay for the lengthy fighting on vast New Guinea . " Drayton " patrolled and gave fire support during the invasion landings at Lae on 4 September and bombarded Finschhafen on 22 September . After brief overhaul at Brisbane , Australia , " Drayton " returned to the New Guinea area , escorting transports to Arawe , New Britain , for the landings of 15 December , and covered the marine landings near - Cape Gloucester 26 December . She screened high - speed transports from Buna Roads to the invasion of Saidor 2 January , and aside from a brief voyage to Sydney to replenish , remained on patrol and escort duty for the occupation of the Bismarck Archipelago . " Drayton " carried troops for the invasion of Los Negros Island in the Admiralty Islands . Here she joined in the bombardment 29 February 1944 and remained to provide fire support . She returned with reinforcement troops from Milne Bay 4 March and began operating as headquarters for the Landing Craft Control Officer for the Admiralties . " Drayton " bombarded Pityilu Island 12 March then sailed for Seeadler Harbor , Manus , escorting an LST convoy before returning to New Guinea . The destroyer got underway from Milne Bay , New Guinea , 22 March 1944 and escorted transports to Canton Island on her way to the west coast . Following an overhaul at San Francisco , California , " Drayton " trained out of Pearl Harbor before arriving at Eniwetok 8 August . For the next 2 months she patrolled off Maloelap , Wotje , Jaluit , and Mille — bypassed Japanese - held atolls in the Marshall Islands . " Drayton " reported to the 7th Fleet at Humboldt Bay , New Guinea , on 20 October 1944 ; 5 days later , she got underway for patrol and escort duty in newly invaded Leyte Gulf , where she arrived 29 October . Her service in this operation included a voyage to New Guinea to bring back transports laden with reinforcements . On 6 December while screening a convoy of LCMs and LCIs to San Pedro Bay , " Drayton " was attacked by a twin - engine bomber which scored a near miss , killing two and wounding seven of the destroyer ' s crew . The next day she repulsed a group of strafing planes before they could damage her charges , and later the same morning engaged 10 or 12 enemy fighters . One aircraft crashed into the No . One 5 inch gun mount , killing 6 and wounding 12 men . " Drayton " extinguished her fires and carried out her mission , convoying her charges safely to harbor and then sailing unassisted to Manus , New Guinea for repairs . Her repairs completed , " Drayton " sailed from Manus 26 December 1944 for the invasion of Lingayen Gulf , Luzon , 9 January 1945 . She gave fire support until the 13th , then sailed to San Pedro Bay to escort a support convoy to the beachhead . From 27 January to 18 February , she served on patrol and gave fire support , bombarding enemy troops in the foothills and destroying a strong point in a cave . Continuing to operate in the Philippines , " Drayton " participated in the landings at Mangarin Bay , Puerto Princesa , Cebu , Ormoc Bay , and Masbate City . On 23 April 1945 , " Drayton " stood out of San Pedro Bay for the invasion of Borneo , screening the actions at Tarakan from 1 to 27 May and at Balikpapan from 1 to 21 July . Returning to Manila 29 July , she got underway 7 August , and arrived at New York 12 September . " Drayton " was decommissioned 9 October 1945 and sold for scrap 20 December 1946 . Awards . " Drayton " received 11 battle star s for World War II service .