The USS Shaw (DD-373) was a Mahan-class destroyer built for the United States Navy, laid down on October 1, 1934, at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard and launched on October 28, 1935. She was commissioned on September 18, 1936. As a Mahan-class vessel, Shaw featured the typical design of her class, but she was plagued by construction deficiencies that delayed her full operational readiness until 1938. Her displacement and dimensions are not specified in the provided source, but as a Mahan-class destroyer, she would have been approximately 1,630 tons standard displacement, about 348 feet in length, with a beam of around 36.5 feet, and a top speed nearing 35 knots. Initially based in Philadelphia, Shaw conducted Atlantic training cruises and underwent extensive yard work to address construction issues before completing acceptance trials in 1938. She later transferred to the Pacific, participating in fleet exercises and operating near Hawaii, including during Fleet Problem XXI in 1940. By December 1941, Shaw was berthed in Pearl Harbor in drydock YFD-2 when the Japanese attack occurred. She sustained multiple bomb hits, with a catastrophic explosion of her forward magazine, which became one of the iconic images of the attack. Despite severe damage, she was repaired within months, later returning to active service. Throughout World War II, Shaw served extensively in the Pacific Theater, engaging in convoy escort duties, carrier task force operations, and providing gunfire support during amphibious assaults. She participated in key campaigns including Guadalcanal, the Marshall Islands, Saipan, Leyte Gulf, Luzon, and Palawan. Notably, she assisted in rescuing survivors from the torpedoed USS Porter and was damaged again by Japanese aircraft during the Palawan campaign, resulting in casualties and repairs. Her service earned her 11 battle stars, reflecting her significant contribution to the war effort. Decommissioned in October 1945, Shaw was sold for scrap in July 1946, marking the end of her notable operational career.

This description has been generated using GPT-4.1-NANO based on the Vessel's wikidata information and then modified by ShipIndex.org staff.