USS Stembel (DD-644) was a Fletcher-class destroyer in service with the United States Navy from 1942 to 1947 and from 1951 to 1958. In 1961, she was transferred to Argentina where she served as ARA Rosales (D-22). She was scrapped in 1982. History United States Navy (1943-1961) USS Stembel (DD-644) was named for Rear Admiral Roger N. Stembel (1810–1900), who served in the Civil War. She was laid down on 21 December 1942 by the Bath Iron Works, Bath, Maine; launched on 8 May 1943; sponsored by Miss Mary G. Helfenstein; and commissioned on 16 July 1943. World War II Stembel conducted sea trials in the Casco Bay area and held her shakedown cruise in Bermuda waters from 11 August to 25 August. After a post-shakedown overhaul, she got underway on 2 October for San Juan, Puerto Rico, via Norfolk. Upon her arrival, she was assigned to a group of warships which sailed for Morocco on the 8th and arrived at Casablanca on 15 October. Three days later, she began a long journey to Hawaii, via Trinidad, the Panama Canal Zone, and San Diego. The destroyer arrived at Pearl Harbor on 11 November and was overhauled during December 1943. On 16 January 1944, she sortied with the Fast Carrier Task Force (then called TF 58, while it was part of 5th Fleet; at other times it was 3rd Fleet's TF 38) to support air strikes against the Marshall Islands which began on 29 January. On 17 February and 18 February, the carriers launched raids against Truk, the powerful Japanese base in the Caroline Islands, before the task force returned to Pearl Harbor. On 10 March, Stembel headed for the South Pacific. She joined a convoy of tank landing ships (LSTs) in the Solomon Islands and escorted it to Aitape, New Guinea. She bombarded the landing area there prior to the landing on 22 April and then supported the troops ashore until 25 April. The destroyer escorted empty LSTs to Cape Sudest and returned to Aitape with a resupply convoy. In May, Stembel was attached to the 5th Fleet and designated flagship of LST Flotilla 16 for the invasion of Guam. The flotilla sortied from Eniwetok on 15 July and was standing off the Asan Beaches on the morning of 21 July. Stembel bombarded the shore until the assault waves headed for the beach, and then she acted as the communication