USS Laffey, an Allen M. Sumner-class destroyer, was commissioned in February 1944. That year, she participated in the Allied landings in Normandy, as well as in several amphibious operations in the Philippines. During the Battle of Okinawa, USS Laffey came under massive attack by Japanese aircraft. Thanks to the incredible efforts of her crew, the destroyer survived six kamikaze hits—any one of which could have sent a larger ship to the bottom. After her repairs, Laffey conti...