USS Douglas H . Fox ( DD - 779 ) USS " Douglas H . Fox " ( DD - 779 ) an , was named in honor of Lieutenant Commander Douglas H . Fox , the commanding officer of the , who went down with his ship when she was torpedoed and sunk in the naval battle of Guadalcanal 13 November 1942 . Fox was posthumously awarded the Navy Cross for his contribution to the defeat of a superior enemy force in this battle , and was later awarded a Gold Star in lieu of a second Navy Cross for earlier actions on 26 and 30 October and 3 November , when he rescued survivors of under hazardous conditions . " Douglas H . Fox " was launched 30 September 1944 by Todd - Pacific Shipyards , Inc . , Seattle , Washington ; sponsored by Mrs . J . T . Boone ; and commissioned 26 December 1944 , Commander R . M . Pitts in command . Service history . United States Navy . 1945 - 1946 . " Douglas H . Fox " joined in exercises in the Hawaiian Islands from 31 March 1945 to 21 April 1945 , then sailed to join the radar picket line at Okinawa , arriving 5 May 1945 . She accounted for 7 planes during a concentrated attack by 11 enemy planes , splashed 5 of her attackers before being hit by a " kamikaze " and its bomb , and sprayed with gasoline from 1 of her own victims . Although 7 of her crew were killed and 35 wounded , the fires were quickly extinguished and effective damage control measures enabled " Fox " to reach Kerama Retto under her own power for temporary repairs . She continued to San Francisco for permanent repairs , arriving 23 June . After refresher training at San Diego , " Fox " sailed on 30 September 1945 for the East Coast , arriving at New York City 17 October 1945 for the Navy Day celebrations . She put in at her home port of Norfolk , Virginia 2 November 1945 and served on local operations and plane guard duty in the Caribbean . She aided in the shakedown of from 14 January 1945 to 6 March 1946 , visiting Rio de Janeiro in February . " Fox " remained in the Caribbean in various training and escort duties until 14 December 1946 when she arrived at New London for leave and upkeep . 1947 - 1962 . " Douglas H . Fox " departed Norfolk 21 July 1947 for a tour of duty in the Mediterranean . On 29 September , while bound for Trieste , she struck a World War II era mine which severely damaged her stern , killed 3 and injured 12 of her crew . She was towed to Venice by two Italian tugs , and put to sea on 13 November 1947 in tow of for Boston , arriving 5 December 1947 , for repairs . Sailing from Newport , Rhode Island , 20 July 1948 , " Fox " returned to the Mediterranean and visited various ports there until 28 September 1948 , when she joined for a goodwill cruise to Mombasa , Kenya ; Durban , South Africa ; and round Cape Horn to Buenos Aires , Rio de Janeiro , and Montevideo . She returned to Norfolk 8 December 1948 , for operations off the Virginia Capes until 5 January 1950 when she arrived at Charleston , South Carolina . She was placed out of commission in reserve there 21 April 1950 . Recommissioned 15 November 1950 , after the outbreak of war in Korea , " Fox " served on the East Coast until 22 January 1952 when she got underway from Norfolk for the Far East . She joined the screen of TF 77 on patrol off Korea , and participated in the bombardment of Wonsan 13 March 1952 . Later in March , she joined in conducting harassing fire against enemy troops on the east coast of Korea . In May she began independent operations , shelling targets , supporting minesweeping operations , and weakening the North Korean fishing industry by capturing 26 sampans . She got underway from Yokosuka 21 June 1952 , and sailed west through the Indian Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea to complete a round - the - world cruise at Norfolk 19 August 1952 , this time in a reverse direction . " Fox " made a Midshipman training cruise to Nova Scotia from 20 June to 8 July 1955 , and served tours of duty with the 6th Fleet in the Mediterranean from 7 November 1956 to 20 February 1957 . Between 3 September and 22 December 1957 , she joined elements of the British and Canadian navies for a NATO exercise in the North Atlantic , visiting the Mediterranean before returning to Norfolk to resume local operations . Between 7 August 1959 and 26 February 1960 , she served again in the Mediterranean , as well as in the Red Sea and Persian Gulf , returning to Norfolk for overhaul . From June through the end of 1960 , " H . Fox " operated off the East Coast , cruising north of the Arctic Circle on NATO maneuvers , and patrolling in the Caribbean during political unrest in Central America . After completing a 1961 Mediterranean deployment , " Fox " participated in anti - submarine warfare ( ASW ) exercises and patrols through March 1962 . At that time the ship went into the Norfolk Naval Shipyard for a FRAM II ( Fleet Rehabilitation and Modernization ) conversion . Included in the changes were updated torpedo mounts , and a Drone Anti - Submarine Helicopter ( DASH ) and Variable - Depth Sonar ( VDS ) system . In November 1962 , she departed from the yard with this increased ASW capability , more modern and comfortable quarters , and a longer life expectancy with the United States Navy . 1963 - 1973 . In December 1962 , " Douglas H . Fox " reported to the Fleet Training Group at Guantanamo Bay , Cuba for refresher training and base defense . In February and March 1963 , the ship took part in Operation Springboard - 63 , an extensive training cruise in the Caribbean , after which she resumed her ASW ready duties with the Atlantic Fleet . Early July 1964 found " Fox " deployed to the Mediterranean , returning in November . In early 1965 , she took part in Operation Springboard - 65 , after which she resumed her ASW duties with Task Group Four . Summer 1965 found " Fox " deployed to the Mediterranean and Middle East , where she conducted ASW operations with the Royal Navy and then participated in contingency operations off the coast of Pakistan . During this period , " Fox " received the Atlantic Fleet ASW Award for her consistent success in the art of anti - submarine warfare . From November 1965 to April 1966 she was in Norfolk Naval Shipyard undergoing overhaul . In July 1966 , she returned to the Mediterranean and paid a visit to Safi , Morocco . " Fox " was the first American warship to visit Safi in seventeen years . The ship returned to Norfolk 17 December 1966 , and in 1967 the ship performed a variety of work with the Second Fleet , with the major emphasis on anti - submarine warfare . Much time was spent in this period in areas just east of Cape Hatteras . In May 1967 , " Fox " operated with 55 ships from four countries in Operation Fizwiz Sunrise . In June , a NATO exercise called New Look took the ship to the North Atlantic for ten days of highly competitive ASW operations with the Canadian Navy . In addition , there were two weeks of operations out of Key West as a school ship for the Fleet Sonar School . On 1 September 1967 the ship began a five month deployment with the 6th Fleet in the Mediterranean . In September 1968 , 323 miles southeast of Charleston , South Carolina , while en route for a return visit to Vietnam , a fire broke out in the aft fireroom , killing three seamen and injuring five . The fire was brought under control and the ship returned to port under her own power . After extensive repairs were completed at Charleston Naval Shipyard , " Fox " departed again for Vietnam arriving in February 1969 . From February to September , she operated in the Vietnam area on a variety of assignments which included plane - guarding in the Tonkin Gulf , and harassment and interdiction fire on a regular basis . She also operated independently providing close - in gunfire support to troops on numerous occasions . Chilean Navy . On 15 December 1973 , " Douglas H . Fox " was given orders to proceed to the Navy Yard at Philadelphia to be decommissioned . After decommissioning , the ship was sold to Chile for further naval service . Under a different flag and with a new name , " Ministro Portales " ( DD - 17 ) served its new country for another 22 years . Between 1975 and 1976 she was refited with an extension in the flight deck . " Ministro Portales " participated in the Beagle - Channel diplomatic conflict in 1978 . in this period , all the Chilean navy ships were camouflaged . This ship was decommissioned from the Chilean Navy in 1990 . " Ministro Portales " was sunk off Cape Horn on 11 November 1998 at 15 : 47 hours ( Chilean time ) . Awards . " Douglas H . Fox " received one battle star for World War II service and one for Korean War service .