USS Conyngham ( DD - 371 ) The second USS " Conyngham " ( DD - 371 ) was a in the United States Navy before and during World War II . She was named for Gustavus Conyngham . History . " Conyngham " was launched 14 September 1934 by Boston Navy Yard ; sponsored by Mrs . A . C . G . Johnson ; and commissioned 4 November 1936 , Commander G . C . Hoover in command . In the spring of 1937 , " Conyngham " made her maiden cruise to ports of northern Europe , and after overhaul at Boston , Massachusetts , sailed for San Diego , California where from 22 October she conducted training exercises . Operations along the west coast , in the Hawaiian Islands , and in the Caribbean continued until 2 April 1940 , when she sailed from San Diego for Pearl Harbor , and duty with the security patrol . In March 1941 , she sailed on a cruise to Samoa , Fiji , and Australia , returning to local operations from Pearl Harbor . On 7 December 1941 , when the Japan ese attacked Pearl Harbor , " Conyngham " lay moored at berth X - 8 , East Loch , Pearl Harbor , on the starboard side of a nest of five destroyers to port of destroyer tender Whitney ( AD - 4 ) . To port of " Conyngham " lay Reid ( DD - 365 ) , Tucker ( DD - 374 ) , Selfridge ( DD - 357 ) , and Case ( DD - 370 ) . The nest of destroyers opened fire on the attacking Japanese , and downed several enemy planes . " Conyngham " continued to patrol from Pearl Harbor through December , and after a brief overhaul at Mare Island , had escort duty between the west coast and the New Hebrides . In June 1942 , " Conyngham ' s " escort duties were interrupted to screen carrier s in the Battle of Midway , and fought on 4 , 5 , and 6 June . " Conyngham " returned to escort duties until 16 October 1942 , when she put out from Pearl Harbor to screen for action in the Southwest $ 3 . She defended the carriers in the Battle of the Santa Cruz Islands on 26 October . On 2 November , " Conyngham " bombarded Kokumbona , a village on the island of Guadalcanal , and while maneuvering in close quarters , collided with another destroyer . The resulting damage was temporarily repaired at Nouméa and completed at Pearl Harbor . " Conyngham " returned to Espiritu Santo 4 February 1943 to resume her support of the Guadalcanal operation . On 7 February she bombarded Doma Cove , and for the next 5 months , continued patrol and escort duties between bases in the South Pacific and Australia . " Conyngham " brought gunfire support to Operation Chronicle , landings on Woodlark and Kiriwina Islands , off New Guinea from 1 to 3 July 1943 , and on 23 August bombarded Finschhafen , New Guinea . On 4 September she screened landings at Lae , New Guinea , and was attacked by three bombers , which damaged her with near misses . Quickly repaired , she returned to Finschhafen 22 September to cover landings , and then sailed to Brisbane , Australia . She was back in action for the landings on Arawe , New Britain , on 15 December , on Cape Gloucester 26 December , and on Saidor , New Guinea , 2 January 1944 . She continued duties in the New Guinea area , aside from a repair period in Australia in January 1944 , until she sailed in March for an overhaul at San Francisco , California . Returning to Majuro late in May 1944 , " Conyngham " sailed with TF 58 , screening battleships during the Marianas operation . On 13 June she fired in the bombardment of Saipan , and remained in the Marianas offering fire support , escort , and patrol services until August . After escorting ships in preparation for the return to the Philippines , " Conyngham " arrived in Leyte Gulf 4 November screening reinforcements . She was strafed by a float plane on 16 November , which wounded 17 of her men and caused slight damage to the ship . On 7 December she covered the landings in Ormoc Bay under heavy air attack , and on 11 December , entered Ormoc Bay again with reinforcements . Fate . Putting into Manus for replenishment 23 December 1944 , " Conyngham " sailed on to Hollandia to join the screen of a convoy bound for Leyte and on the landings in Lingayen Gulf . Here she joined in preassault bombardment , and remained on patrol after the landings of 9 January 1945 until 18 January . At Subic Bay from 22 July for overhaul , she remained there at the close of the war , and was decommissioned 20 December 1946 . Used as a target in the 1946 atomic weapons tests at Bikini , she was destroyed by sinking 2 July 1948 off the California coast . " Conyngham " received 14 battle star s in World War II .