Heermann was a Fletcher-class destroyer, DD-532, built by Bethlehem at San Francisco. She was launched on 5 December 1942 and commissioned on 6 July 1943. Hoel, the next hull, came from the same yard. Commander Amos T. Hathaway had her off Samar.
On the morning of 25 October 1944 she was one of three destroyers with Taffy 3. Johnston turned in first, on her own. Hoel went in. Heermann went in with them, laying smoke and firing guns and torpedoes at ships that outgunned her. She was hit. She was not sunk. Hoel and Johnston were. Gambier Bay was. The shells that hit Heermann are not pinned to one Japanese ship.
She got out. She survived the war. On 14 August 1961 she was transferred to Argentina.