USS Willard Keith (DD-775)

• Namesake: USS Willard Keith (DD-775) was named in honor of Second Lieutenant Willard W. Keith, USMC, who was posthumously awarded the Navy Cross for heroism during the Battle of Guadalcanal in World War II. • Class: She was an Allen M. Sumner-class destroyer, one of the most widely used destroyer classes by the US Navy during World War II. • Construction: The ship was launched on December 29, 1944, at the Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corporation in San Pedro, California, and commissioned on February 27, 1945. • World War II Service: USS Willard Keith joined the Pacific Fleet late in World War II, participating in escort and occupation duties after Japan's surrender. • Korean War: She was recommissioned in 1951 and served during the Korean War, performing patrol, escort, and bombardment missions off the Korean Peninsula. • Cold War Deployments: Throughout the 1950s and 1960s, Willard Keith was involved in numerous NATO and Mediterranean deployments, contributing to Cold War deterrence and allied exercises. • Cuban Missile Crisis: In 1962, the destroyer played a role in the Cuban Missile Crisis, participating in the naval quarantine (blockade) of Cuba. • Humanitarian Missions: The ship was involved in several humanitarian operations, including rescuing distressed mariners and providing disaster assistance. • Decommissioning: USS Willard Keith was decommissioned in June 1972 after nearly three decades of service. • Foreign Service: After decommissioning, she was transferred to the Colombian Navy in 1972 and served as ARC Caldas (DD-02), extending her operational life in South America.