USS Lowry ( DD - 770 ) USS " Lowry " ( DD - 770 ) , an , is the only ship of the United States Navy to be named for Reigart Bolivar Lowry , who served in the Mexican - American War and was a member of Commodore Matthew C . Perry ' s expedition to Japan in 1855 . He served with distinction in the American Civil War , capturing the " New Orleans " and in the first attack on Vicksburg ( April – June 1862 ) . " Lowry " was laid down 1 August 1943 by Bethlehem Steel Co . , San Pedro , California ; launched 6 February 1944 ; sponsored by Miss Ann Lowry ; and commissioned 23 July 1944 , Commander L . H . Martin in command . World War II . " Lowry " cleared San Pedro 26 October 1944 for training at Pearl Harbor and arrived San Pedro Bay 14 December . From 19 December to 29 December she escorted convoys between Leyte and the Mindoro Island beachhead , and was also part of a special striking force that helped protect Mindoro from enemy attack . From 2 January to 10 January 1945 she operated as an effective task force screen and gunfire support ship in the invasion of Luzon , then patrolled the approaches to Lingayen Gulf guarding the newly won beachhead until sailing for Ulithi 22 January . The destroyer departed Ulithi 10 February to screen fast carrier TF 58 for air strikes against Honshū in support of the Invasion of Iwo Jima . The force returned to Ulithi 1 March , from which " Lowry " sailed 21 March for Okinawa to screen the support carrier group for the invasion until 29 April . " Lowry " then served as radar picket off Okinawa . During this hazardous assignment , the ship engaged in numerous actions with enemy aircraft . The heaviest of these occurred 28 May , when accompanying picket destroyer was hit by two suicide planes and sank with heavy loss of life . Lowry , after fighting valiantly to prevent the loss of her companion , stood by to rescue survivors despite the continued presence of enemy aircraft in the area . From 29 June she covered minesweeping operations in the South China Sea , then arrived San Pedro Bay 27 July . For her valiant work as radar picket she was awarded the Navy Unit Commendation . " Lowry " joined fast carrier TF 38 off Tokyo 24 August for occupation duty during which she furnished food to Allied prisoners of war until 1 October , when she sailed for Okinawa to embark passengers for the United States . Arrived at San Diego 21 October for overhaul and west coast training . " Lowry " left San Francisco 14 July 1946 for Kwajalein to patrol during Operation Crossroads , the Bikini atomic bomb tests . She was on station from 24 July to 10 August , when she sailed for San Diego , arriving 22 August . Training off the west coast and in the Hawaiian Islands was broken in May 1947 when she visited Sydney , Australia , for the anniversary of the Battle of the Coral Sea . Returning to San Diego 14 June , she decommissioned 30 June 1947 and entered the Pacific Reserve Fleet . Korea . " Lowry " recommissioned 27 December 1950 , Comdr . C . H . Morrison , Jr . , in command . Assigned to the Atlantic Fleet , she arrived New York 30 April 1951 , was overhauled at Norfolk , and in August began training exercises in the Caribbean , returning to Norfolk 15 November . On 22 January 1952 , " Lowry " sailed , via the Panama Canal , to join the 7th Fleet , arriving Yokosuka 27 February . With TF 77 , " Lowry " served off the east coast of Korea on shore bombardment , plane guard , and screening duty until early April , then had similar duty off the west coast of Korea with TF 95 , the U . N . Blockading and Escort Force , through May . On 8 June , she sailed to rejoin TF 77 for gunstrike missions . Sailing via the Suez Canal and the principal Mediterranean ports , " Lowry " arrived Norfolk 19 August . Between 19 August 1952 and 1 February 1954 , " Lowry " made training cruises to the Caribbean and off Florida , engaging in intensive exercises to increase her combat efficiency . She departed Norfolk 1 February for her second world cruise , arriving Yokosuka from the Panama Canal 9 March . After a number of simulated combat exercises , including a full ‑ scale mock invasion of Iwo Jima , she left Yokosuka 29 June for Suez , completing her second circumnavigation at Norfolk 25 August . Training along the coast and in the Caribbean prepared " Lowry " for her first deployment with the 6th Fleet in the Mediterranean , for which she left Norfolk 7 November 1956 , returning to Norfolk 28 February 1957 for renewed training and overhaul . She again left Norfolk 3 September for NATO " Strikeback " exercises in the North Atlantic , continuing on to the Mediterranean from which she returned to Norfolk 22 December . Her third tour with the 6th Fleet , 7 August 1959 to 26 February 1960 , was followed by a FRAM II overhaul at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard , completed 14 January 1961 . In June 1961 , " Lowry " joined Antisubmarine Warfare Task Group Alpha , a special force engaged in research and development . She served in this force for the major part of the next 4 years , which included such operations as the rescue ‑ of Astronaut Virgil Grissom successfully completing the second American space flight 21 July 1961 ( Mercury - Redstone 4 ) , and the Naval Quarantine of Cuba which played the major role in ending the Cuban Missile Crisis of October – November 1962 . Vietnam . After her fourth Mediterranean deployment , 18 February 1965 to 12 July , " Lowry " had the DASH system installed , then participated in a large Atlantic Fleet operational exercise . Her 1966 6th Fleet deployment , 4 March to 12 August , was followed by duty as schoolship for the Fleet Sonar School , Key West . Through most of January and February 1967 , " Lowry " embarked several Peruvian midshipmen for training under the Midshipmen Exchange Program . From 8 May through 22 September she underwent regular overhaul at Norfolk Naval Shipyard , followed by refresher training out of the Fleet Training Center , Guantanamo Bay , Cuba . Lowry departed Norfolk early in April 1968 , passing thru the Panama Canal on Easter Sunday , then continuing for the Far East on her first 7th Fleet deployment of the Vietnam War . Serving off the coast , she performed plane guard , naval gunfire support , and other duties for which the versatile destroyer was well suited . Highlights of port visits were visits to : Bangkok , Thailand ; Sasebo and Yokosuka Japan ; Hong Kong ; Pusan , Korea ; & the Philippines . Lowlights included a collision at sea while highlining , and monsoon seas with one of two screws ( propellers ) non - functional . She arrived back at Norfolk on 27 November , then continued Atlantic coast operations into 1969 . In July 1969 a forward gun turret exploded during regular sea operations . One man was killed and several were injured ( As witnessed by this contributer and another sailor from the Lowry just assigned to Portsmouth Naval Hospital , after talking with the hospitalized sailors . ) " Lowry " received four battle star s for World War II service and two for Korean service . Brazilian service . Lowry was struck from the Naval Registry on 31 October 1973 and transferred to the Brazilian Navy on the same day . She was renamed the " Espirito Santo " ( Holy Spirit ) and remained in Brazilian service until she was struck from service on 2 February 1996 , used as target practice , and ultimately sunk in 1998 . Other sources indicate the ship was scrapped October 1996 . References . According to Tom Long LT ( jg ) USS Lowry DD - 770 1951 - 1954 . USS Lowry DD - 770 is located at 23 degrees 02 . 9 minutes S - 41 degrees 56 . 5 minutes W , SE of Rio de Janeiro . She rests in 1250 fathoms depth , having been used as a bombing target at the end of her useful life , at 1350 Hours , 16 Jaunuary 1999 . This information was published in the December 2010 " The Bucket & Swab " , the DD - 770 Crew Newsletter . I reported aboard Lowry the day she returned from the Cuban Blockade , and left her in May 1965 , She was the first of seven ships I would serve in .