USS Raymon W . Herndon ( APD - 121 ) USS " Raymon W . Herndon " ( APD - 121 ) , ex - DE - 688 , was a United States Navy high - speed transport in commission from 1944 to 1946 . Construction and commissioning . " Raymon W . Herndon " was laid down as the " Rudderow " - class destroyer escort USS " Raymon W . Herndon " ( DE - 688 ) on 12 June 1944 by the Bethlehem Steel Company at Quincy , Massachusetts , and was launched on 15 July 1944 , sponsored by Mrs . Raymon W . Herndon , the widow of the ships namesake , Raymon W . Herndon . " Raymon W . Herndon " was reclassified as a " Crosley " - class high - speed transport and redesignated APD - 121 on 17 July 1944 . After conversion for her new role , she was commissioned on 3 November 1944 . Service history . World War II . " Raymon W . Herndon " departed Boston , Massachusetts , on 23 November 1944 for three weeks of shakedown off Bermuda . After arriving at Norfolk , Virginia , on 13 December 1944 , she stood out of Hampton Roads , Virginia , on 1 January 1945 , transited the Panama Canal , and reported to the United States Pacific Fleet for World War II duty on 7 January 1945 . Arriving at San Diego , California , on 16 January 1945 , she departed on 25 January 1945 , touched at Pearl Harbor , Territory of Hawaii , on 31 January 1945 , and acquired her first combat experience at Okinawa . Commencing 26 March 1945 , " Raymon W . Herndon " supported her embarked Underwater Demolition Team 16 and provided antiaircraft gunnery support in the transport area off the invasion beaches . During the assault phase of the Okinawa operation , she assisted in maintaining an outer antisubmarine screen that extended completely around the Hagushi Beach transport area and the seaplane and logistics anchorage at Kerama Retto . Together with the other ships of the screen , she also provided protection from Japan ese aircraft for the naval forces off the beachhead . Later she patrolled remote radar picket stations and bore the brunt of the relentless and determined attacks made by Japanese torpedo bomber s , dive bomber s , and " kamikaze " suicide aircraft . She shot down one attacking aircraft and assisted in the destruction of two others on 6 April 1945 . " Raymon W . Herndon " supported the Okinawa campaign through 19 June 1945 , only two days before Okinawa was finally declared secured . Postwar . After the surrender of Japan on 15 August 1945 , which brought World War II to a close , " Raymon W . Herndon " transported occupation forces to the coast of China and to ports in Japan . She was then directed to return to the United States . After her return , " Raymon W . Herndon " moved to Green Cove Springs , Florida , for inactivation . Decommissioning and disposal . " Raymon W . Herndon " was decommissioned on 15 November 1946 at Green Cove Springs and joined the Atlantic Reserve Fleet there . After nearly 20 years of inactivity , she was stricken from the Naval Vessel Register on 1 September 1966 . Honors and awards . " Raymon W . Herndon " received one battle star for World War II service . Republic of China Navy service . In October 1966 , " Raymon W . Herndon " was sold to the Republic of China under the Military Assistance Program . In the Republic of China Navy she served as ROCS " Heng Shan " until scrapped .