the pioneer American hunter-killer group built around . Clemson made eight patrols with the group during which it sank eight German submarines, a major contribution to victory in the Battle of the Atlantic. Clemson shared in the credit for the sinking of on 13 December at 26° 19' N., 29° 58' W. After an overhaul at New York early in 1944, she escorted a convoy to Casablanca and back between 25 January and 9 March. Once more, Clemson underwent conversion, this time to a high speed transport at Charleston Navy Yard (reclassified APD-31, 7 March 1944). Clemson shared in the Presidential Unit Citation awarded the Bogue hunter-killer group. In the Pacific Clearing Charleston on 1 May 1944, the transport reached Pearl Harbor on 24 May and embarked Underwater Demolition Team 6 (UDT 6). She then sailed westward to act as a mother ship for UDT 6 as it prepared beaches immediately before the invasions of Saipan, Guam, Peleliu, Leyte and of Luzon. While entering Lingayen Gulf 5 January 1945, she drove off a Japanese air attack. Clemson escorted convoys to Ulithi, Saipan, and Okinawa before returning to San Pedro, Los Angeles, 6 July. Re-designated DD-186, 17 July, she was still undergoing reconversion when World War II ended. She was decommissioned 12 October 1945 and sold 21 November 1946. The ship's bell is privately owned in Clemson, South Carolina. Awards Clemson received nine battle stars for World War II service. References Richard Worth (2001). Fleets of World War II. Da Capo Press. . External links navsource.org: USS Clemson Clemson-class destroyers World War II auxiliary ships of the United States World War II amphibious warfare vessels of the United States World War II destroyers of the United States 1918 ships Ships built in Newport News, Virginia