Awards
- American Campaign Medal with bronze service star
- European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal
- Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal
- World War Two Victory Medal
- Navy Occupation Medal
The USS Atherton was awarded one battle star for her World War II service. Crew members of the Atherton received a bronze star for the American Theater ribbon for their actions in the sinking of the last German submarine in American waters during World War II.
The battle took place shortly after the U-853 had torpoedoed the Boston based collier "Black Point" at 5:40PM, 5 May 1945 (just a few days before VE Day). The Atherton tracked down the U-853 just eight miles off Block Island, Rhode Island, sinking her in just 100 feet of water. The next day divers were sent down, confirming the only sinking of a submarine with the newly developed "Hedge Hog" anti-submarine weapon.
Read more about this topic: USS Atherton (DE-169)