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DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY -- NAVAL HISTORICAL CENTER
805 KIDDER BREESE SE -- WASHINGTON NAVY YARD
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Photo # NH 101668:  USS Jarvis operating at sea, January 1939

Online Library of Selected Images:
-- U.S. NAVY SHIPS --

USS Jarvis (DD-393), 1937-1942

USS Jarvis, a 1500-ton Bagley class destroyer built at the Puget Sound Navy Yard, Bremerton, Washington, was commissioned in October 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, taking part in the U.S. Fleet's preparations for the increasingly likely outbreak of war with Japan. She was tied up at the Pearl Harbor Navy Yard when the Japanese attacked on 7 December 1941 and used her guns in the efforts to repel the Japanese aircraft.

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 until mid-July, when she joined the task force that was preparing for the U.S. Navy's first major Pacific War offensive undertaking, the invasion of Guadalcanal and Tulagi.

Arriving in the invasion area on 7 August 1942, Jarvis covered the landing forces as they put U.S. Marines ashore. The next day, she was hit by a torpedo when Japanese aircraft counter-attacked. Though badly damaged and down at the bow, she was still seaworthy enough to proceed independently to Australia for repairs. While steaming past the northeastern end of Guadalcanal during the night of 9 August, she was briefly and ineffectively engaged by Japanese ships during the Battle of Savo Island. Shortly after noon on that day, USS Jarvis was attacked by an overwhelming force of Japanese land-based bombers. Hit repeatedly, she was lost with her entire crew.

This page features all our views of USS Jarvis.

If you want higher resolution reproductions than the digital images presented here, see: "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions."

Click on the small photograph to prompt a larger view of the same image.

Photo #: NH 97671

USS Jarvis (DD-393)


Off the Puget Sound Navy Yard, Bremerton, Washington, 17 December 1937.

U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

Online Image: 78KB; 740 x 575 pixels

 
Photo #: NH 67842

USS Jarvis (DD-393)


Off the Puget Sound Navy Yard, Bremerton, Washington, circa December 1937.

U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

Online Image: 54KB; 740 x 475 pixels

 
Photo #: NH 60636

USS Jarvis (DD-393)


Underway off the Puget Sound Navy Yard, Bremerton, Washington, 2 May 1938.
Note that the ship's main gun director has been removed from its normal position atop the pilothouse.

U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

Online Image: 94KB; 740 x 620 pixels

 
Photo #: NH 101667

USS Jarvis (DD-393)


In a harbor (probably San Diego, California), 20 May 1938.
Note that the ship's main gun director has been removed.

U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

Online Image: 85KB; 740 x 555 pixels

 
Photo #: NH 101668

USS Jarvis (DD-393)


Operating at sea, 23 January 1939.

U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

Online Image: 81KB; 740 x 535 pixels

 
Photo #: NH 63389

USS Patterson (DD-392)
(left) and
USS Jarvis (DD-393)

Leaving the building dock after their christening ceremony, at the Puget Sound Navy Yard, Bremerton, Washington, 7 May 1937.

U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

Online Image: 106KB; 740 x 550 pixels

 


USS Jarvis is one of the dozens of ships featured in the following chart of Pearl Harbor during the 7 December 1941 Japanese air raid. She is located in the lower center of the view, among the ships in the Navy Yard basin between "Ten-Ten" Dock and the Marine Railway.

Photo #: NH 83109

Pearl Harbor Raid, 7 Decmeber 1941


Chart showing the positions of ships inside Pearl Harbor at the time of the Japanese Attack, at about 0800 on 7 December.
The orientation of the compass direction arrow in the chart's center is turned approximately 45 degrees too far in a counterclockwise direction. Some of the ships moored in "nests" in the northern part of the harbor are listed in incorrect order.

Collection of Vice Admiral Homer N. Wallin, USN(Retired), 1975.

U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

Online Image: 131KB; 915 x 1075 pixels

 



In addition to the images presented above, a very interesting photograph of USS Jarvis is featured in the book "H.M.A.S. Canberra", by Alan Payne (Published by the Naval Historical Society of Australia, Garden Island NSW, in 1973).
This image, taken from a Royal Australian Navy ship, shows Jarvis down at the bow after she was torpedoed by Japanese aircraft off Guadalcanal on 8 August 1942. USS George F. Elliot (AP-13), another victim of that attack, is burning in the background.


If you want higher resolution reproductions than the digital images presented here, see: "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions."


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Page made 3 October 2001