USS Marchand ( DE - 249 ) USS " Marchand " ( DE - 249 ) was an built for the U . S . Navy during World War II . She served in the Atlantic Ocean the Pacific Ocean and provided destroyer escort protection against submarine and air attack for Navy vessels and convoys . She was named in honor of Fireman First Class Roy Joseph Marchand , born in Crandall , Mississippi , 17 September 1920 , for his courageous actions during a Japanese attack on his ship . Marchand was posthumously awarded the Silver Star for his courageous dedication to duty . " Marchand ( DF 249 " ) was laid down by Brown Shipbuilding Co . , Houston , Texas , 30 December 1942 ; launched 30 March 1943 ; sponsored by Mrs . Charles D . Marchand , mother of " Fireman First Class Marchand " ; and commissioned 8 September 1943 , Lt . Comdr . G . F . Lynch , USCG , in command . World War II North Atlantic operations . " Marchand " departed Houston , Texas , 14 September for shakedown training off Bermuda until 31 October when she arrived at the Charleston Navy Yard . After antisubmarine warfare exercises while based at Quonset Point , Rhode Island , in November , she arrived at Provincetown , Massachusetts , the 20th . After service as target ship for training operations of Torpedo Squadron 13 , the escort ship sailed for Norfolk , Virginia , arriving 12 December . As the flagship of Escort Division 20 , " Marchand " departed Norfolk 14 December escorting a convoy to Europe , and arrived in the Straits of Gibraltar 2 January 1944 to turn over the convoy to British warships . She then set course for Morocco , arriving Casablanca 7 January . The ship got underway the next day for the east coast , arriving New York 24 January . Collision at sea . " Marchand " conducted exercises in Block Island Sound and Casco Bay , Maine , until departure from New York 22 February with convoy CU 15 for Ireland . About 2200 on 25 February , during a heavy gale , rammed . As " Marchand " came to the assistance of the badly damaged and burning merchant ships , " El Coston " ' s bow rammed " Marchand " on her starboard side amidships damaging the plates of her forward control room . " Marchand " then stood by and received 28 survivors while took on board 33 others . The next day " Marchand " steamed for Bermuda as escort for El Coston . Shortly after midnight the 27th the remaining 56 crew members of " El Coston " had to abandon ship . After the merchant ship sank at 0142 , " Marchand " directed her course for New York , where the survivors were debarked 1 March . On 6 April " Marchand " again sailed in convoy from New York for Northern Ireland , arriving Lisahally 17 April . She returned to New York 3 May . From 21 May 1944 to 11 June 1945 , she made nine more round trips escorting convoys from New York or Boston , Massachusetts , to United Kingdom ports . Transferred to the Pacific Fleet . " Marchand " departed New York 19 June for training in the Chesapeake Bay , then to Guantanamo Bay , Cuba , before sailing for the South Pacific . She arrived Pearl Harbor 26 July . With the Japanese surrender 15 August , she cleared Pearl Harbor 12 days later for maneuvers off Eniwetok and Kwajalein Atolls , Marshalls , from 3 September to 15 October . She continued on to Guadalcanal , arriving the 18th , before returning to Pearl Harbor 10 November by way of Canton , Phoenix Islands , where she debarked her U . S . Coast Guard passengers . Post - War decommissioning . On 17 November the escort ship steamed for home , arriving San Diego , California , 6 days later to debark more men of the Coast Guard . On the 25th " Marchand " headed for the east coast , via the Panama Canal , reaching New York 11 December . She then got underway 21 January 1946 for Green Cove Springs , Florida , arriving the 23d for inactivation . On 25 April 1947 she decommissioned and entered the Atlantic Reserve Fleet at Green Cove Springs . She was struck from the Navy List on 2 January 1971 and sold for scrapping 30 January 1974 .