USS Jarvis (DD-393)

The USS Jarvis was one of eight Bagley-class destroyers(all of which had a rich history) built for the US Navy. It was the second ship named for James C Jarvis, a 13 year old mid-shipman who was killed during the Quasi War with France(his story is hard to believe in itself). It was launched in May of 1937. It was armed with few guns, four 5 inch guns and four .50 cal guns, but it was also armed with two depth charge racks and twelve 21 inch torpedo tubes.

The Jarvis was present during the attack on Pearl Harbor. She was there undergoing minor repairs when the attack started. As much as we know about the disaster that took place that day, the entry in the ship's deck log by Ensign W. F. Greene seems almost comically oblivious to what was happening. It simply said, "0758, hostilities with Japan commenced with air raid on Pearl Harbor. Went to general quarters". The Jarvis actually engaged and shot down four planes that fateful day and received only minor damage before being sent out with others on Anti Submarine Warfare patrols.

She was attached to Task Force 14 and sent to help the Marines defending Wake Island until that operation was cancelled. She was then part of the force including the carrier Lexington, when the oiler USS Neches, dispatched to refuel the group, came under torpedo attack. That attack resulted in the sinking of Neches and the death of 57 of her crew. The Jarvis rescued 182 survivors from that tragedy. She spent the next 4 months escorting around Australia until recalled to the group heading to Guadalcanal.

Jarvis supported troop landings and patrolled the area south of Savo Island until news of an impending attack came in. She then moved out into Ironbottom Sound between Guadalcanal and Florida Island. As the torpedo bombers appeared, the Jarvis fired with all guns. The defense of US ships allowed only 9 of 26 bombers to make it through. As she had maneuvered to protect the, soon doomed, Vincennes, she shot down one of the bombers, but not before it had released a torpedo, which found its mark. The explosion stopped her dead in the water and killed 14 of her crew. She was safely towed to Tulagi and sent 7 injured crewmen to safety.

Heavily damaged, sporting a 50 foot gash in her side, but considered seaworthy, she was ordered to proceed to New Hebrides for repair. Apparantly, because of damaged radios, they never got the order. the skipper decided to head towards Australia for repair and was unnoticed by any other ships as he departed. As she limped near Savo Island, the incoming Japanese attack noticed her and engaged but did no damage. That Japanese group would moments later do major damage to America's fleet in the Battle of Savo Island.

She was spotted just after 3 am by the USS Blue, but waived of help(still no radio communications). A US plane also spotted her just after dawn. That would be the last Americans that saw the USS Jarvis. The Japanese spotter here, and mistaking her for an escaping cruiser from Savo, dispatched 31 planes to intercept. The hit the Jarvis with a barrage of bombs, bullets and torpedoes. According to Japanese records, the Jarvis broke apart and sank at 1 pm on August 9, 1942. None of the 233 men who remained on board survived.

We will never forget those who served and died aboard the USS Jarvis. That last action, while deadly for all aboard, likely saved many others, on damaged ships at Savo, who were the intended target of those 31 planes. As it happened, they were all able to make it to port. The crew of the USS Jarvis laid down their lives in defense of freedom and those others who were fighting for that same cause.

USS Jarvis (DD-393)