Strong was built at Bath Iron Works, Bath, Maine, side-by-side with sister Chevalier—the third and fourth ships of the 2,100-ton Fletcher class laid down there.
   Strong was launched 17 May, 1942, sponsored by Mrs. Hobart Olson. She commissioned at Boston 7 August 1942 (the same day the Guadalcanal campaign began). In October, after

Strong off Maine, apparently during her trials.

shakedown, she escorted a convoy to Puerto Rico and returned to Norfolk. In November, from New York, she escorted convoy UGS-2 to Casablanca returned with convoy GUF-2.
   Following a yard availability period 11–26 December, Strong sailed for the Pacific on 27 December 1942. A month later, she arrived at Nouméa, New Caledonia and was engaged in convoy escort duty until 5 February, when she departed to patrol off Guadalcanal.
   On 13 February, Strong joined Task Force 67 in patrolling in the Solomon Islands and bombarding shore targets. On 5 April, she and O’Bannon sank submarine RO-34.
   On 7 May, with TF 18 (renumbered from 67)—cruisers Honolulu, St. Louis, and Nashville with DesRon 21 destroyers O’Bannon, Chevalier and Taylor—she penetrated Vella Gulf for the first time, covering Radford and flush-deck destroyer-minelayers Breese, Gamble and Preble on a mission to lay mines in Blackett Strait. The next morning, three Japanese destroyers entered the minefield. One sank immediately; the others were damaged and sunk by aircraft that afternoon.
   On the night of 12–13 May, the task force bombarded Kolombangara, Enogai Inlet, and Rice

Cdr. (later RAdm.) Joseph Howard Wellings, USN, Strong’s commanding officer.

Anchorage. On the afternoon of 16 June, in Ironbottom Sound, Strong shot down three of approximately fifteen attacking bombers.
   On the morning of 5 July, American forces landed at Rice Anchorage. Task Force 18, including Strong, was assigned to support the landings by shelling Vila-Stanmore, Enogai, and Bairoko. Nicholas and Strong in the van led cruisers Honolulu, Helena and St. Louis and rear destroyers O’Bannon and Chevalier into Kula Gulf, with a bombardment run from 0030 to 0040. Nine minutes later, Strong's gunnery officer sighted a torpedo wake. Before he had time to notify the bridge, the torpedo hit her port side aft. Chevalier intentionally rammed Strong's bow to enable her to throw nets and lines to the stricken ship, and removed 241 men in about seven minutes. Japanese gunners on Enogai beach spotted the ships, illuminated them with star shells, and then opened fire with high explosives. O'Bannon began counter-battery fire in an effort to silence the enemy guns which soon began to hit Strong. Chevalier had to cease rescue operations lest she also got hit. Strong began to settle rapidly with a 40° to 60° list to starboard. She broke in half just before sinking. Several of her depth charges exploded, causing further injuries and loss of life. Forty-six men were lost.
   Strong was struck from the Navy list 15 July. She earned two battle stars.