The USS Aaron Ward (DD-483) was a Gleaves-class destroyer built for the United States Navy, distinguished by its role in the Pacific Theater during World War II. Laid down on 11 February 1941 at the Federal Shipbuilding and Drydock Company in Kearny, New Jersey, the vessel was launched on 22 November 1941 and commissioned on 4 March 1942. She measured approximately 348 feet in length, with a beam of 36.4 feet, and was equipped with a main armament of five-inch guns, along with smaller caliber anti-aircraft weapons, designed for screening and shore bombardment duties. Following her shakedown cruise from Casco Bay, Maine, and post-shakedown availability in New York, Aaron Ward sailed for the Pacific in May 1942. She participated in early operations supporting the Guadalcanal campaign, including screening Vice Admiral William S. Pye’s Task Force 1 during the Battle of Midway vicinity and escorting vital resupply missions. Notably, she engaged enemy aircraft and supported ground forces with shore bombardments, such as her attack on Japanese positions on Guadalcanal on 17 October 1942, during which she shelled gun emplacements and ammunition dumps. Throughout her service, she was actively involved in critical engagements, including assisting damaged cruisers, screening transports, and participating in the Naval Battle of Guadalcanal in November 1942. During this intense night battle, Aaron Ward engaged Japanese ships, firing approximately 25 rounds of 5-inch ammunition. She sustained multiple hits—eight in total—resulting in significant damage, loss of steering, and casualties, but her crew's efforts allowed her to be evacuated and later repaired at Pearl Harbor. Rejoining the fleet in February 1943, Aaron Ward resumed escort and screening operations until her final mission on 7 April 1943. During this operation, she was attacked by Japanese aircraft near Guadalcanal, suffering severe damage from near misses and bombs, which caused her to settle lower in the water. Attempts to save her included towing efforts and defensive actions against Japanese ships, notably the battleship Hiei. Despite her valiant fight, she sank stern-first at approximately 21:35 near Nggela Sule. Her wreck was discovered on 4 September 1994, lying in about 70 meters of water. The USS Aaron Ward earned four battle stars for her service, embodying the resilience and sacrifice of the U.S. Navy’s destroyer force during critical Pacific battles.

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