USS De Haven, DD 469, (often spelled “DeHaven”) was the first 2100-ton Fletcher-class destroyer lost in World War II having been in commission only 133 days, the second shortest career (after Meredith, DD 726) of all United States destroyers in the war.
De Haven’s casualties at Guadalcanal, 1 February 1943.
Source: Bureau of Personnel casualty report, NARA.
September 1942), De Haven was built at Bath Iron Works alongside Taylor and named for a 19th century explorer. In November, after shakedown, she sailed for the Pacific and arrived in the Solomon Islands in December. In January 1943, De Haven was assigned with sisters Fletcher, Radford, Nicholas and O’Bannon to Capt. R.P. Briscoe’s “Cactus Striking Force,” which operated from the Guadalcanal area. She was bombed and sunk there 1 February while in company of Nicholas and landing craft—the last American destroyer lost during the Gualcanal campaign. Enemy resistance on Guadalcanal ended one week later.
