USS Lee Fox ( DE - 65 ) USS " Lee Fox " ( DE - 65 / ADP - 45 ) , a of the United States Navy , was named in honor of Ensign Lee Fox ( 1920 – 1941 ) , who was killed in action during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor , on 7 December 1941 . " Lee Fox " was laid down on 1 March 1943 at the Bethlehem - Hingham Shipyard , Inc . , in Hingham , Massachusetts ; launched on 29 May 1943 , sponsored by Mrs . Lee Fox , mother of Ensign Fox ; and commissioned on 30 August 1943 , with Lieutenant Commander W . C . Jennings in command . Service history . Built with dispatch , " Lee Fox " helped to overcome the German submarine menace in the Atlantic . Her greatest enemy , however , turned out to be the buffeting storms of the North Atlantic . Returning from her Bermuda shakedown voyage on 17 October 1943 , she was overtaken by a hurricane that almost capsized the vessel and caused a fire in the aft engine room . On 11 December off Cape Cod , during a storm , a projectile exploded on her forecastle , causing more fire damage and further yard repairs . Overcoming her early misfortunes , " Lee Fox " completed 18 Atlantic crossings between 6 November 1943 and 7 January 1945 . Derry , Northern Ireland , became her port away from home as she helped escort the invasion troops and supplies to England for " Operation Overlord " , the invasion of Normandy . The last round - trip voyage required 30 days to convoy heavy equipment , such as floating cranes and powerplants , being towed to Plymouth , England , for use in the captured ports on the continent . Her only sure contact with enemy submarines occurred on 20 December 1944 when two ships in the return convoy were torpedoed . Beginning on 21 February 1945 , " Lee Fox " was converted to a " Charles Lawrence " - class high speed transport and reclassified APD - 45 two days later . On 7 May , she sortied from Norfolk , Virginia , with TU 29 . 6 . 1 bound for the war in the Pacific . " Lee Fox " arrived at Pearl Harbor on 31 May , having transited the Panama Canal on 13 May and spent three days at San Diego , California . After she had additional training with Naval Combat Demolition Teams , 120 passengers were embarked on 18 June for Guam . Continuing westward from Guam with a new list of passengers , " Lee Fox " next dropped anchor in San Pedro Bay , Philippines , on 6 July . Here , the end of the war overtook her , but on 9 September the first of a series of escort assignments ended at Tokyo Bay . As a member of TU 53 . 7 . 1 , she sailed for Yokohama on 23 October to see that the northern Japanese islands of Ōshima and others nearby were complying with the terms of surrender . Released from this duty on 15 November , she sailed for home before the end of the month , and disembarked 123 veterans at San Diego on 15 December . Departing New Year ' s Day 1946 , she reached her home port of Boston on 17 January . Following a period in dry dock , she arrived at Green Cove Springs , Florida , on 14 February 1946 and decommissioned there on 13 May and entered the Atlantic Reserve Fleet . Struck from the Navy List on 1 September 1964 , " Lee Fox " was sold on 31 January 1966 for scrapping to the Southern Scrap Material Company , New Orleans , Louisiana .