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| USN Fletcher-class destroyer 2,050 Tons 376' 6" x 39' 8" x 17' 9" 5 x 5"/38 cal guns 10 x 40mm AA 7 x 20mm AA 10 x 21" torpedoes 6 x depth charge projectors 2 x depth charge tracks  USN September 1942  USN January 30, 1943  USN February 1, 1943  The Lost Ships of Guadalcanal 1992  EV Nautilus July 8, 2025 |
Sinking History Built by Bath Iron Works in Bath, Maine. Laid down September 27, 1941 as a Fletcher-class destroyer. Launched June 28, 1942 as USS De Haven (DD-469) named for Lieutenant Edwin J. De Haven sponsored by Miss H. N. De Haven, his granddaughter. Commissioned September 21, 1942 in the U.S. Navy (USN) under the command of Commander Charles E. Tolman and underwent a brief shakedown cruise. Wartime History Departs Norfolk via the Panama Canal then across the Pacific bound for the South Pacific. On November 28, 1942 arrives Tongatapu then escorts a convoy of troopships to Guadalcanal. On December 7, 1942 screens transports to Guadalcanal then to Espirito Santo and Nouméa a week later. During January 1943 participates in two shore bombardments of Kolombangara. Sinking History On February 1, 1943 screened a seaplane tender and six Landing Craft Tank (LCT) landing at Maravovo on Guadalcanal. In the afternoon, with USS Nicholas (DD-449) escorts three LCTs including LCT(5)-181 back to base and was notified of an impending Japanese air raid and observed nine unidentified planes and observed six swing sharply toward the destroyer. Her anti-aircraft guns opened fire and claimed three enemy planes shot down. Targeted by D3A Vals from 582 Kōkūtai (582 Air Group) that dive bombed and scored three hits including one to the superstructure that killed Commander Tolman and a near miss that caused damage to the hull. Within five minutes, De Haven rapidly sank roughly two miles east of Savo Island into Iron Bottom Sound at Lat 09°09'S Long 159°52'E.Before sinking, a crew member made the depth charges safe so they would not detonate as the ship sank. Aboard, a total of 167 were killed and 38 wounded in attack and sinking. De Haven was only in service for 133 days before sunk and was the first Fletcher-class destroyer lost in World War II. Rescue The surviving crew were quickly rescued by LCT(5)-181 then transferred to USS Fletcher (DD-445). Awards For her World War II service, De Haven earned one battle star. Memorials The crew lost in the attack were officially declared dead February 1, 1944 and remain listed as Missing In Action (MIA). All are memorialized at Manila American Cemetery on the tablets of the missing. Commander Tolman earned the Navy Cross, posthumously and USS Tolman (DM-28) was named in his honor. Shipwreck During the July 1992 to August 1992 expedition led by Dr. Robert, the shipwreck of USS De Haven was discovered on the sea floor at a depth of 2,427.82' / 740m on the seafloor roughly two miles east of Savo Island into Iron Bottom Sound. The bow is destroyed in the attack and sinking. Her 5" gun turrets are elevated at roughly 45° elevation for anti-aircraft fire against the attacking dive bombers. During January 2015, MY Octopus owned by Paul Allen surveyed the shipwreck of De Haven using the sonar imagery with vessel measurements and historical records is pending confirmation by ROV exploration On July 8, 2025 the shipwreck was surveyed by EV Nautilus using a Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) conducted an underwater survey to record video, photographs and live stream on YouTube Nautilus Live. During the survey, the ship's bell was discovered amidship and documented ordnance including torpedoes and depth charges. References Many sources spell the destroyer's name as one word: DeHaven (sic De Haven). NavSource - USS DeHaven (DD-469) Naval History and Heritage Command (NHHC) - De Haven I (DD-469) American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Charles E. Tolman FindAGrave - CDR Charles Edward Tolman (photo, tablets of the missing) The Lost Ships of Guadalcanal (1993) pages 200-201 (map no. 4), 202-203 (De Haven), 221 (index De Haven) Operation KE (2012) by Dennis Letourneau and Roger Letourneau TARFU! The Demise of De Haven Ocean News "Mapping the Ghost Fleet of Iron Bottom Sound" "Eleven of the wrecks were tentatively identified using the analyzed sonar imagery with vessel measurements and location information from historical records: USS Walke, IJN Ayanami, USS Dehaven [sic De Haven], IJN Yudachi, IJN Fubuki, USS Laffey, USS Monssen, USS Barton, USS Cushing, USS Little, and the USS Preston" South Pacific Air War: The Role of Airpower in the New Guinea and Solomon Island Campaigns, January 1943 to February 1944 (2024) by Richard Dunn pages 59-60 (February 1, 1943), 66, 591 (index De Haven) Nautilus Live Ocean Exploration Trust: Maritime Archaeology of Guadalcanal: Iron Bottom Sound July 2-23, 2025 Contribute
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