USS John Hood (DD-655) was a Fletcher-class destroyer of the United States Navy, named for Rear Admiral John Hood (1859–1919). John Hood was laid down 12 October 1942 by Gulf Shipbuilding Corp., Chickasaw, Ala.; launched 25 October 1943, sponsored by Miss Amelia O'Neal; and commissioned 7 June 1944. World War II After shakedown in the Caribbean, the new destroyer departed for the Pacific 21 August 1944, arriving Mare Island Naval Shipyard 6 September. She sailed on to the Aleutian Islands for duty with the North Pacific Forces, arriving Adak, Alaska 18 September. John Hood joined Destroyer Squadron 57 (DesRon 57) of Rear Admiral John L. McCrea's Task Force 92 (TF 92) and served her entire war career in the stormy waters of the North Pacific. The principal offensive missions were to harass and threaten the enemy outposts in the Kuril Islands, more than 600 miles (1,100 km) westward of Attu. In carrying out this mission, the Task Force made nine sorties against the Kurils and five offensive sweeps in the Sea of Okhotsk, hampered by bad weather, and well beyond the range of friendly air cover. John Hood was the only ship of the task force which participated in every sortie from reporting through the end of the war. In November she engaged in the bombardment of the Japanese base on Matsuwa, causing considerable damage to the installation. She continued sorties and patrol operations in the Kurils through the winter and spring of 1945. While patrolling in the Sea of Okhotsk 25 June 1945, John Hood encountered an enemy convoy attempting last minute reinforcements to the badly battered Japanese garrisons. The destroyer assisted in sinking one cargo ship and probable sinking of another. On 11 August her task group conducted one of the final naval operations of the war by destroying another enemy convoy. Following the cessation of hostilities, she steamed to Adak to prepare for occupation duties. John Hood departed Adak 31 August with a large force headed for Northern Japan. The battle tested destroyer remained in Northern Japanese waters with the occupations forces until she turned homeward 18 November. She arrived Charleston, S.C., 22 December and remained there until she decommissioned 3 July 1946 and entered the Atlantic Reserve Fleet. 1951 – 1964 John Hood recommissioned 3 August 1951. Following commissioning she received major modifications to enable her to assume a place in the modern fleet. John Hood