USS Kenneth M. Willett (DE-354) was a John C. Butler-class destroyer escort acquired by the U.S. Navy during World War II.

While serving as commanding officer of the Naval Armed Guard on board the freighter SS Stephen Hopkins, he was promoted to Lieutenant (j.g.)

While en route from Cape Town, South Africa to Paramaribo, Dutch Guiana, his freighter was attacked on 27 September 1942 by two Kriegsmarine surface raiders.

[1] The ship was launched on 7 March 1944 by Consolidated Steel Corp. at their yard in Orange, Texas, sponsored by Mrs. D. C. Willett, mother of Lt.

Assigned to convoy escort duty between Humboldt Bay, New Guinea, and Leyte Gulf, Philippines, Kenneth M. Willett made seven trips from 13 December 1944 to 25 February 1945.

On 1 January 1945, while she screened a convoy to Hollandia, Kenneth H. Willett's guns brought down an attacking enemy torpedo plane close aboard one of the merchant ships.

Departing 17 July with a convoy of LCIs and LSTs, Kenneth M. Willett steamed via Casiguran Bay, Luzon, for the Ryūkyūs.

From then until 16 October 1958 she made 63 training cruises that carried her from New Orleans to South America, Canada, the eastern seaboard of the United States, and throughout the Caribbean.

During this time she rendered vitally important service, making certain that men of the Naval Reserve remained qualified to serve on a moment's notice to guard the nation's security on the high seas.