strikes on the Japanese home islands on 16 and 17 February 1945 on the eve of the invasion of Iwo Jima, then sailed from Ulithi 14 March for strikes on Kyūshū and the Nansei Shoto in preparation for the Okinawa operation. On 18 March her task force came under heavy enemy air attack, and Franks claimed one of the attacking aircraft, joining in the fire which brought several others down. Joining the battleship group, Franks closed the southern coast of Okinawa on 24 March for a preinvasion bombardment, which hid the intention to land at Hagushi on the western coast. Franks cruised off Okinawa, serving as plane guard for carriers covering the landings 1 April, until 2 April, when she was badly damaged and her commanding officer was fatally injured in a collision with the battleship . She sailed at once for temporary repairs at Ulithi, from which she departed 13 April for overhaul at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard.Franks returned to the western Pacific on 17 August 1945 at Eniwetok, and on 3 September rendezvoused with the fast carrier task force for air-sea rescue and weather station duty for flights between Okinawa and Honshū. She entered Tokyo Bay 13 September, and on 1 October sailed for the west coast. Franks was placed out of commission in reserve at San Pedro, California 31 May 1946, and sold for scrapping on 1 August 1973. HonorsFranks'' received nine battle stars for World War II service. Credited with the first swimming rescue of downed Navy aviators, Mel Collins radar man and first SEAL rescue diver. (Murphy,B 1st navy seals) References External links NavSource.org - DD-554 World War II destroyers of the United States Ships built in Seattle 1942 ships Fletcher-class destroyers of the United States Navy