USS Ludlow (DD-438), a , was the third ship of the United States Navy to bear the name. The second and third Ludlow ships were named for Lieutenant Augustus C. Ludlow, second in command of . He was, like his captain, mortally wounded in their ship's engagement with on 1 June 1813, and died at Halifax, Nova Scotia on 13 June. Ludlow was laid down 18 December 1939 by Bath Iron Works, Bath, Maine. She was launched 11 November 1940, sponsored by Miss Frances Nicholson Chrystie, a descendant of Lieutenant Ludlow, and commissioned at Boston 5 March 1941. History Commissioning Ludlow commissioned at a time when the North Atlantic saw daily evidence of the struggle of British ships and planes against German U-boats. At this time, too, the vital Lend-Lease Act was destined to demonstrate America's concern for Great Britain's survival. First tour Having completed shakedown, Ludlow left Boston in October 1941 for Newfoundland and Iceland, convoying supplies ultimately destined for the British Isles. The 7 December attack on Pearl Harbor, and the declaration of war between Germany and the United States soon lengthened Ludlows convoy runs to include the ports of Derry, Liverpool, Greenoch, and Freetown, South Africa. Operation Torch Assigned to Task Force 34 (TF 34) for the invasion of North Africa, Ludlow arrived off Cape Fedhala, French Morocco, late 7 November 1942. Shortly after the first wave of landing craft headed tor shore, Ludlow found herself engaging shore batteries, bombers, and a Vichy French naval force comprising a cruiser and two destroyers in the Naval Battle of Casablanca. A 6-inch shell struck her forward and straddling shots were falling close aboard when and — arrived and helped to dispose of the French ships. Operation Husky Ludlow returned to New York to repair battle damage, then conducted training off the coast of Maine before departing 14 January 1943 for the first of three convoy runs to Casablanca. After the third of these, in June, she remained in the Mediterranean Sea for the forthcoming invasion of Sicily. With the invasion forces on 10 July, Ludlow gave fire support off Licata and Porsa Empedocle. Daily enemy air attacks followed, and on 11 August she splashed her first airplane. Participating in the invasion of Italy on 9 September, Ludlow led a section of the assault wave through a known minefield to the bloody landing at Salerno. She and her sister ships