USS Lawrence C . Taylor ( DE - 415 ) USS Lawrence C . Taylor ( DE - 415 ) was a acquired by the U . S . Navy during World War II . The primary purpose of the destroyer escort was to escort and protect ships in convoy , in addition to other tasks as assigned , such as patrol or radar picket . Post - war , after serving an action - packed tour of duty in the Pacific Ocean , she returned home proudly with seven battle star s to her credit . She was named in honor of Lawrence Coburn Taylor who was awarded the Silver Star for gallantry while serving with a Marine Fighter Squadron 24 August 1942 . She was laid down 20 December 1943 by Brown Shipbuilding Co . , Houston , Texas ; launched 29 January 1944 ; sponsored by Mrs . Lawrence H . Taylor , mother of " Lt . Taylor " ; and commissioned 13 May 1944 , Lt . Comdr . R . Cullinan , Jr . , in command . History . World War II . After shakedown , " Lawrence C . Taylor " departed New York 6 August 1944 for the central Pacific , arriving Pearl Harbor 29 August . Sailing 16 October , the destroyer escort joined and her hunter - killer group in the Philippine Sea . During operations near Leyte , her ASW patrols were rewarded 18 November after a 14 - hour search for a Japanese submarine . Joining two planes from " Anzio " in a coordinated attack , " Lawrence C . Taylor " sent enemy to the bottom . During December the hunter - killer group searched the seas off Leyte and Luzon relentlessly , despite a violent typhoon which struck the islands . She was the only ship in her unit to remain on course and undamaged during this massive storm . On 3 January 1945 " Lawrence C . Taylor " sortied with ships of the U . S . 3rd Fleet to support the landings in Lingayen Gulf on the 9th . Remaining on patrol , she searched for enemy submarines off Luzon and prevented their closing the shipping lanes to the island . When Iwo Jima , needed as a stopover base for B - 29 s , was selected as the next target on the road to Tokyo , the destroyer escort departed Saipan 12 February to join the fight . She arrived off the tiny volcanic island 16 February and for 3 days guarded a group of escort carriers as they softened up the island prior to the landings . After the marines hit the beach the 19th , " Lawrence C . Taylor " stood by on patrol and support duty . Two days after the initial landings , she assisted after the carrier was hit by a kamikaze . Her fearless captain remained in the area even throughout the night , leaving the search lights on in danger of further suicide attacks . Under the constant threat of air raids , " Lawrence C . Taylor " continued operations off Iwo until early March . The inspiring victory at Iwo Jima set the stage for the next campaign , Okinawa . Arriving off Okinawa 26 March , she performed ASW sweeps prior to the Easter Sunday assault in Japan ' s own backyard . Once again her task was to keep the shipping lanes free of enemy submarines , and she continued this duty through June . Then " Lawrence C . Taylor " accompanied Admiral Mitscher ' s mighty Fast Carrier Task Force as it pounded the Japanese mainland . The submarine patrol brought results , because " Anzio ' s " planes sighted an enemy submarine on the night of 15 July . At 0240 the following morning the destroyer escort registered her second kill when her depth charge attack sent to Davy Jones ’ Locker . " Lawrence C . Taylor " continued operations with the 3d Fleet until the Japanese surrendered , then departed Okinawa 5 September to join the U . S . 7th Fleet as it landed occupation troops in Korea and China . She remained with the occupation units until 26 December when she departed Okinawa for home . Fate . Arriving San Francisco , California , 15 January 1946 , " Lawrence C . Taylor " remained on the west coast and decommissioned at San Diego , California , 23 April . She joined the Pacific Reserve Fleet and was struck from the Navy List on 1 December 1972 . She was sold for scrapping 12 September 1973 . Awards . " Lawrence C . Taylor " received seven battle stars for World War II service . Combat Action Ribbon ( retroactive ) - American Campaign Medal - Asiatic - Pacific Campaign Medal w / 7 stars — World War II Victory Medal — Philippine Liberation Medal