23 January to prepare for the next important amphibious landing — Iwo Jima. Iwo Jima and Okinawa The veteran DE took part in rehearsals in the Marianas, and arrived off Iwo Jima on 19 February with an escort carrier group. She again fought off a severe air attack on 21 February. She remained on duty off Iwo Jima until 9 March, when she sailed for Ulithi, having helped to win another important island air base for the eventual attack on Japan. Okinawa was to be the site of the last and largest of the Pacific amphibious assaults. John C. Butler sailed on 26 March with transports; and, as the troops stormed ashore on 1 April, she resumed her now-familiar screening duties with carrier groups. As the Japanese launched fruitless suicide attacks, the ship escorted carriers into Kerama Retto, rescued downed pilots, and ferried men and material. Transferred to dangerous outer picket duty north of Ie Shima on 20 May, she was attacked by six kamikazes just before sunset. Skillful gunnery accounted for five of the attackers, and John C. Butler sustained damage only to her mast and antennas. She sailed on 27 May for repairs in the Philippines. The ship returned to Okinawa with a convoy on 4 July, and spent the last month of the long war on convoy duty between that island and the Pacific advance bases. She returned to San Pedro, Los Angeles on 23 November and decommissioned on 26 June 1946, joining the Pacific Reserve Fleet at San Diego, California. Cold War With the outbreak of the Korean War in June 1950, John C. Butler recommissioned on 27 December 1950. Following shakedown, she was assigned to 11th Naval District for the job of training naval reservists on short sea cruises. Thus, she helped maintain trained officers and men to meet the U.S. Navy's cold war commitments. In addition to reserve cruises, she took part in the training program of Fleet Sonar School, San Diego. She decommissioned on 18 December 1957 and re-entered the Reserve Fleet, San Diego. She was eventually sunk as a target in December 1971. AwardsJohn C. Butler'' received five battle stars for World War II service, and was awarded the Presidential Unit Citation for her part in the Battle off Samar. Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons References External links USS John C. Butler navsource.org: USS John C. Butler hazegray.org: USS John C. Butler