Ship History
Built at the Puget Sound Navy Yard, Bremerton, Washington, and commissioned in October 27, 1937. After shakedown and alterations, she spent the next two years operating in the eastern Pacific and the Caribbean. Jarvis was based in Hawaii after April 1940. Jarvis was at Pearl Harbor during the suprise attack on December 7, 1941 and fired at Japanese aircraft.

Guadalcanal
During the next seven months, Jarvis participated in several operations, including the abortive Wake Island relief expedition in December 1941, anti-submarine patrols and aircraft carrier screening duties in January 1942 and escorting convoy to Australia, in February-March and May-June 1942. Jarvis was then employed on patrol and escort work in the south Pacific.

In mid-July, when she joined the task force that was preparing for the invasion of Guadalcanal and Tulagi on August 7, 1942. The next day, she was hit by an aerial torpedo in the bow area. A torpedo opened a hole 50ft long in her boiler room. After emergency repairs at Lunga Point, the ship set sail for Brisbane under her own power but only 8 knots speed.

While passing north-eastern Guadalcanal two day later she was engaged briefly by Japanese ships during the Battle of Savo Island.

Sinking History
The next morning, August 9, 1942 Japanese D3A Val dive bombers of the 25th Air Flotilla from Rabaul which caught up with her near Cape Esperance. A hit from one of their torpedoes caused the ship to split in two and within minutes she sank, taking to the bottom her entire crew of 233, including Captain Lt. Commander Graham.

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Last Updated
July 24, 2010