May 3, 1942 the Fletcher DD-445 was launched at Federal Shipbuilding in Kearney, New Jersey. She was named in honor of Admiral Frank F. Fletcher, a Medal of Honor recipient. In 1945 a crewman, Watertender Elmer C. Bigelow was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for fighting a fire caused by a Japanese shell, his action in large part helped save the ship, but he lost his life the following day from his injuries. Fletcher was sold for scrap in 1972.