USS Hambleton ( DD - 455 ) USS " Hambleton " ( DD - 455 / DMS - 20 ) was a of the United States Navy , named for Purser Samuel Hambleton ( 1777 – 1851 ) . " Hambleton " was laid down by the Federal Shipbuilding & Drydock Co . , Kearny , N . J . , on 16 December 1940 , launched on 26 September 1941 , sponsored by Mrs . Nannie Hambleton Martin , great grandniece of Samuel Hambleton ; and commissioned on 22 December 1941 , Commander Forrest Close in command . Service history . 1942 - 1943 . Departing Norfolk on 31 January 1942 , in company with , " Hambleton " began a shakedown , unique in wartime , that took her through the Panama Canal to Callao , Peru ; Valparaiso , Chile ; Guayaquil , Ecuador ; Cartagena , Colombia ; and Balboa , C . Z . She was diverted for antisubmarine search north of Cuba in early March , and on 15 March 1942 rescued six men on a life raft who had survived the torpedoing of . After antisubmarine patrol along the East Coast and intensive training in Casco Bay , Maine , " Hambleton " sailed as escort to and on 14 April . Reaching Africa ' s Gold Coast 10 May , " Ranger " launched her cargo of Curtiss P - 40 s for the North African fighting and headed back to the West Indies . In heavy rain and low visibility on 17 May , " Hambleton " collided with and had to proceed to San Juan and then Charleston Navy Yard for repairs . " Hambleton " joined a fast troop transport out of New York on 1 July , sailed for Ireland and arrived on 11 July . Immediately she reported for duty with the Joint British and American Naval Forces In Europe . With Royal Navy personnel on board as communications liaison , she conducted antisubmarine patrols and served as plane guard for through August . She then returned to the United States for duty along the coast in preparation for Operation Torch , the forthcoming invasion of North Africa . " Hambleton " joined the invasion fleet on 28 October , and as part of Admiral H . Kent Hewitt ' s Western Naval Task Force , she screened during operations against airfields in French Morocco on D - Day , 8 November . As she lay anchored by off Fedala in the evening of 11 November 1942 , " Hambleton " was struck amidships on the port side by a U - boat torpedo . With all power gone , the destroyer took a 12 degree list to starboard as her damage control parties worked swiftly to jettison topside weights and shore up weakened bulkheads . The crippled ship was towed to Casablanca for temporary repairs . Seabees there cut the ship in two , removed a section of her damaged hull , then joined the two remaining halves together . Escorted by a tug , " Hambleton " reached Boston 28 June 1943 for permanent repairs . 1944 . After a second shakedown in the Caribbean and training along the East Coast , " Hambleton " escorted a convoy to Oran in April 1944 , and began to prepare for her role in the Normandy invasion . Operating in the Western Mediterranean with seven other destroyers and British scout planes , she sank " U - 616 " on 17 May after an intensive 4 - day pursuit of the German marauder . From the Mediterranean " Hambleton " sailed to Plymouth , England , staging area for the epochal invasion . She escorted a large convoy of LST s to the landing areas on 7 June , D - Day plus 1 , and remained off Omaha Beach for critical shore bombardment and screening duties . In the early morning hours of 9 June , " Hambleton " s radar picked up several contacts , soon determined to be Nazi E - boat s . Her guns blazing , " Hambleton " set out after the enemy . In a 4 - hour running gun battle , she sank one and severely damaged another of the five German boats . After returning for provisions at Portland , England , " Hambleton " was back on the line for the Bombardment of Cherbourg 25 June . " Hambleton " departed Belfast , Northern Ireland on 4 July , and steamed to the Mediterranean , touching Oran , Algeria , 10 July and reaching Naples , Italy , on 15 July . On 11 August , she participated in the bombardment of shore positions on the southern coast of France prior to Operation Anvil , the invasion of that vital area . " Hambleton " remained in the Mediterranean for patrol and screening duty until sailing to Boston on 25 October . Arriving Boston on 8 November , the battle - training destroyer was converted into a high speed minesweeper and redesignated DMS - 20 on 15 November . 1945 . " Hambleton " emerged from the yard 13 December and sailed for the Pacific 30 December . Steaming via San Diego , Pearl Harbor , and Eniwetok , she arrived Ulithi 9 March 1945 , to prepare for the invasion of Okinawa , the largest amphibious assault in the Pacific . Departing on 19 March , she arrived off Okinawa , the gateway to the heart of the Japanese Empire , 23 March . Prior to the invasion 1 April , she cleared channels and anchorages for the 1 , 200 ships taking part in the invasion . During the long campaign that followed , she operated off Okinawa to sweep , screen , patrol , and provide fire support . She was under almost constant attack from the air . Although damaged on 3 April by a " kamikaze " , which splashed close aboard her port quarter , " Hambleton " remained on duty as part of the mighty fleet that had come to the Ryukyu Islands to stay , despite all the Japanese could unleash . With Okinawa nearly secured , " Hambleton " and her sister ships deployed to the East China Sea in mid - July to begin massive sweeping of this area . In a month they cleared more than from the area in one of the largest sweep operations yet launched . " Hambleton " was in the East China Sea for a second such mission when Japanese acceptance of peace terms was announced 15 August . Joining Admiral William F . Halsey ' s 3rd Fleet off Tokyo , " Hambleton " steamed into Tokyo Bay 28 August to clear the way for the occupation forces . In the next few months " Hambleton " swept a total of 184 mines from Japanese minefields in various straits and channels . During this period she rode out four typhoons , one of which battered her with waves . Departing Japanese waters 20 November , " Hambleton " steamed via Eniwetok , Pearl Harbor , and San Diego to Norfolk arriving late December . 1946 – 1955 . Based at Charleston , South Carolina , the veteran minesweeper maintained an operational pattern that kept her prepared for the emerging cold war struggle . During the next decade " Hambleton " participated in fleet and tactical exercises in the Caribbean and along the East Coast . In 1949 , 1952 , and 1954 she deployed to the Mediterranean and operated with the 6th Fleet from the shores of North Africa to the turbulent Middle East . After returning to Charleston from her third Mediterranean cruise on 6 July 1954 , " Hambleton " decommissioned on 15 January 1955 , and entered the Atlantic Reserve Fleet . She was reclassified DD - 455 the same day . " Hambleton " was stricken from the Naval Vessel Register on 1 June 1971 . She was sold 22 November 1972 and broken up for scrap . Awards . " Hambleton " received seven battle star s for World War II service .