Philippines, her group assisted the 7th Fleet during the invasion of Leyte and the decisive Battle for Leyte Gulf, from which Nicholson sailed for a Seattle overhaul. Returning to the western Pacific in February 1945, Nicholson escorted ships passing between Guam and Ulithi, and arrived off Okinawa for its invasion late in March. Serving in the exposed radar picket line, Nicholson came through untouched by kamikazes, but rescued survivors from stricken destroyers and . Rejoining the 3rd Fleet for the final air operations against the Japanese home islands, Nicholson was off Honshū at the war's end. She entered Sagami Wan on 29 August and Tokyo Bay on 15 September. Returning to San Diego on 6 November, she sailed for Panama and Charleston, South Carolina, arriving on 23 November to join the Atlantic Reserve Fleet. She decommissioned on 26 February 1946 and was assigned as a Naval Reserve training ship in the 3d Naval District on 30 November 1948. Nicholson received 10 battle stars for World War II service. Post-war service While serving as reserve training ship at the Brooklyn Navy Yard, Nicholson served as the backdrop for the big-screen musical On the Town starring Frank Sinatra, Gene Kelly, Vera Ellen, Ann Miller and Betty Garret. The ship was shown in the beginning of the movie and also in the last scene. Nicholson was recommissioned on 17 July 1950, then decommissioned once more and transferred to the Italian Navy 15 January 1951. Aviere (D 554) Nicholson was sold to the Italian Navy 15 January 1951 and renamed Aviere. She was converted to an experimental gun ship in 1970. She was stricken and sunk as a target in 1975. References External links navsource.org: USS Nicholson Aviere (D 554) Marina Militare website Gleaves-class destroyers of the United States Navy Ships built in Boston 1940 ships World War II destroyers of the United States Gleaves-class destroyers of the Italian Navy Ships sunk as targets Maritime incidents in 1975