On 22 August 1945, she was then assigned to a task unit organized around Rear Admiral Thomas L. Sprague in Ticonderoga (CVA-14) which was charged with providing air coverage for the first occupation force to go to the Japanese homeland. On 5 September, Woodworth took part in firing practices and replenishment until 10 September when she anchored in Tokyo Bay and remained there through the end of the month.

The destroyer was placed out of commission, in reserve, on 11 April 1946. She was placed in service on 30 January 1947 for Naval Reserve training duty. Placed in full commission on 21 November 1950, the ship was briefly assigned to the 3d Naval District before she was decommissioned at the New York Naval Shipyard on 14 January 1951 and overhauled to prepare her for transfer to the Government of Italy. Her name was struck from the Navy list on 22 January 1951, and she was turned over to the Italian Navy on 11 June 1951. She served Italy as Artigilere (D 553) operating as a command ship for motor torpedo boat flotillas until struck from the Italian Naval Vessel Register in January 1971 and scrapped.

Woodworth received seven battle stars for her service in World War II.

   I was born in Newark, NJ, 1-1-25.  My father worked in the printing trade in NYC but when the crash came in 1929 he was out of work shortly thereafter. Where upon we moved gradually southward.

Dad had been gassed in France in WWI and had chronic lung problems so they were seeking warm climates.  We ended up homesteading a tract of land near the west coast of Florida under the then Veterans land program.  It didn't work out, however, and we moved to Washington, DC then Maryland and then back to Dunedin, Florida  where I spent my teenage years.  I graduated from Clearwater H.S in 1942 and tried to enlist in the Marines but was turned down because of infected tonsils.  Finally enlisted in Navy Reserves and was called up for active duty 12-5-42.  Was sent to Boot Camp in Bainbridge, MD and from there to Quartermasters School in Newport, RI.

Then went to Boston for commissioning of the USS Cabana DE 260 in July of 1943.  We latersailed through the Panama Canal to the Pacific where  we operated with various TGs as anti-sub screen, fire support, radar picketing, hunter-killer units with jeep carriers and eventually escorted the carrier Franklin back to Pearl after she was gutted by suicide planes.  From ther we went to Mare Island for complete overhaul and arrived 4-13-45 the day President Roosevelt died.

May 1945 I transferred off the Cabana as QM 2/C having gone aboard as S2/C.  After several months and the war was winding down I was released to inactive duty.  I was recalled in July 1950 and was in Korea until Oct. 52.  Took a final discharge in 1954.

Between my active duty periods, I attended Tulane University and married my wife of 51 years on 7-31-48.  Went to work in the  Insurance Industry after being released from my second tour and retired in 1990. 

We have nine children, 14 grandchildren and just had our 6th great Grandchild (I think).  No telling where it will end.

Senator Doyle Willis is a 52 month veteran of WWII, with the Bronze Star, and 4 battle stars.  He is a member of the Texas, District of Columbia and Hawaii Bar Associations.  Senator Willis is known as "Mother Teresa of Texas Veterans" to his colleagues for his fight for Texas veterans, their widows and orphans.  Senator Willis served 42 years in the Texas House and Senate, the second longest tenure in the history of Texas.

August, our speaker will be Dr. Erica Swegler.  This will be an
informative meeting on diabetes which affects the entire family. 

Please contact Bobby Rivers or Stu Hepburn if you know of a speaker we might have at one of our meetings.