USS O'Bannon (DD-450)

USS O'Bannon (DD/DDE-450), a Fletcher-class destroyer, was the second ship of the United States Navy to be named after Lieutenant Presley O'Bannon (1784–1850), the Marine Corps's "hero of Derna".

O'Bannon was the US Navy's most decorated destroyer during World War II, earning 17 battle stars and a Presidential Unit Citation. First serving in the naval battle of Guadalcanal, where she helped to sink the Japanese destroyer Akatsuki and shelled the battleship Hiei. With the start of 1943, O'Bannon helped to sink the submarines I-18 and Ro-34, scoring fame for throwing potatoes at the latter, before moving on to the Solomon Islands campaign, fighting in the battles of Kula Gulf, Kolombangara, and Horaniu, sinking several small Japanese vessels. During the battle of Vella Lavella, O'Bannon helped to sink the destroyer Yūgumo, but collided with the sinking destroyer USS Chevalier and was badly damaged herself, taking her out of action for several months. However, she was ready for action by March of 1944, and led the rest of her WW2 service conducting shore bombardment and escorting duties, with a pump of excitement in January of 1945 when she helped to sink the Japanese submarine Ro-115.

After the war, O'Bannon was converted into a destroyer escort, and took on patrol and shore bombardment duties during the Korean War and Vietnam War.