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| USN Fletcher-class destroyer 2,050 Tons 376' 6" x 39' 8" x 17' 9" 5 x 5" 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 |
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 undergoes 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) that 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 claiming three shot down. Dive bombed by D3A Vals from 582 Kōkūtai (582 Air Group) that scored three bomb 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. A total of 167 were killed and 38 wounded in attack and sinking. De Haven 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. All are listed as Missing In Action (MIA) and 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. 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) Operation KE (2012) by Dennis Letourneau and Roger Letourneau TARFU! The Demise of De Haven 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) Contribute
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