USS Morris (DD-417), a World War II-era Sims-class destroyer in the service of the United States Navy, was named after Commodore Charles Morris. She was among the most decorated US Naval vessels of World War II. Construction and commissioning Morris was laid down at the Norfolk Navy Yard, Portsmouth, Virginia, on 7 June 1938; launched on 1 June 1939, sponsored by Mrs. Charles R. Nutter, great-granddaughter of Commodore Morris; and commissioned on 5 March 1940, with Commander Harry B. Jarrett in command. Service history Morris, flagship of Destroyer Squadron 2 (DesRon 2), followed her shakedown with routine training schedules until the summer of 1941 when she joined the North Atlantic Patrol. With the entry of the United States into World War II, she entered Charleston Navy Yard, where she was equipped with the first fire control radar for a destroyer. By 3 January 1942, she was underway for Pearl Harbor, rejoining her squadron there at the end of February. Attached to Task Force 17 (TF 17), the destroyer sailed on 16 March for Noumea, and into her first major enemy engagement, the Battle of the Coral Sea. Prior to the battle, she guarded the carriers of the task force as their planes struck at enemy shipping in Tulagi Harbor and in the Louisiade Archipelago. From 4–8 May, she splashed one enemy plane and damaged two while screening and , and when the latter was heavily damaged, pulled alongside to rescue some 500 survivors. Damage received during the rescue forced her back to Pearl Harbor where hurried repairs put her back into condition for the Battle of Midway a month later. In that action she again pulled alongside Yorktown to rescue over 500 survivors. Morriss next action came in late August, when she joined TF 61 in support of the Guadalcanal Campaign. For the next 2 months, she screened carriers and patrolled among the Solomon Islands. On 25 October, following a 3-day independent sweep through the Gilbert Islands, she rejoined TF 17 and took part in the Battle of the Santa Cruz Islands. During the action, she destroyed six aircraft and once more came to the rescue of , from which she took on 550 survivors. As in other rescue operations her superstructure was damaged, but, after repairs at Espiritu Santo, she was back in the Guadalcanal area, first operating with and then as supply unit escort to . In May