The Ship That Wouldn't Die
From Devastation to Victory in the Second World War
The USS Shaw played a pivotal role during the infamous attack on Pearl Harbor on the 7th December 1941.
Though relatively small compared to battleships and cruisers stationed at the harbor, the Shaw’s experience during the attack exemplifies the resilience of the U.S. Navy in the face of overwhelming adversity.
On that fateful morning, the Shaw was undergoing repairs at the Navy Yard's floating dry dock, leaving her more vulnerable to the surprise assault by Japanese forces.
...the Shaw’s story did not end in ruins...
The devastating attack on Pearl Harbor marked a turning point in American history, thrusting the United States into the Second World War.
Among the ships hit, the Shaw suffered catastrophic damage when a direct bomb strike caused a massive explosion that tore apart her bow, leading to one of the most iconic and harrowing images of the attack.
Despite the severity of the destruction, the Shaw’s story did not end in ruins. Her eventual salvage and return to service reflected the resilience of the U.S. military and the indomitable spirit of the nation.
This article will explore the Shaw’s role at Pearl Harbor, the events of that day, and the ship’s remarkable recovery and legacy in the war effort.
Background of the USS Shaw (DD-373)
The USS Shaw (DD-373) was a Mahan-class destroyer, built as part of the U.S. Navy’s efforts to modernize its fleet during the interwar years.
Named after John Shaw, a distinguished U.S. naval officer from the early 19th century, the Shaw was laid down at the Philadelphia Navy Yard on the 1st October 1934.
She was launched on the 28th October 1935, and officially commissioned on the 18th September 1936, with Lieutenant Commander E. A. Mitchell in command.
Group image of theoriginal commissioning crew of the destroyer Shaw (DD 373) taken in 1936. The destroyer was the first vessel struck by Japanese dive bombers at Pearl Harbor.
National Naval Aviation Museum.
...a region increasingly tense due to Japanese expansionism...
The Shaw was a relatively small vessel, designed to be fast and agile, characteristics essential for the roles of escorting larger ships, engaging enemy vessels, and conducting patrols.
As a Mahan-class destroyer, she was armed with four 5-inch guns, twelve torpedo tubes, anti-aircraft batteries, and depth charges, providing versatility in both surface combat and anti-submarine warfare.
In the years leading up to the Second World War, the Shaw served primarily in the Pacific, conducting exercises and manoeuvres with the U.S. Fleet.
Her primary mission was to safeguard American interests in the Pacific, a region increasingly tense due to Japanese expansionism.
By 1940, as U.S.-Japanese relations deteriorated, the Shaw was stationed in Pearl Harbor, the headquarters of the U.S. Pacific Fleet.
The U.S. Navy destroyer USS Shaw (DD-373) entering Rio de Janeiro harbor, Brazil, 1 September 1938.
...played a significant role in the devastating damage...
In the months preceding the attack on Pearl Harbor, the Shaw had been undergoing repairs and routine maintenance, which would prove significant during the attack on the 7th December 1941.
Moored in a floating dry dock at the time, she was caught off guard alongside much of the Pacific Fleet.
The vulnerability of the Shaw due to her maintenance status played a significant role in the devastating damage she would later sustain.
The ship’s background, including her service history and her strategic role in the Pacific, set the stage for her remarkable story of survival and resilience during and after the attack on Pearl Harbor.
Destroyer Division Six, Destroyer Squadron Three (DesDiv6, DesRon3) at San Diego, California, in October 1941. Ships are (from inboard): USS Clark (DD 361), Squadron flagship, USS Case (DD 370), Division flagship, USS Cummings (DD 365), USS Shaw (DD 373) and USS Tucker (DD 374). Note that these destroyers are painted in at least two different camouflage schemes.
Official U.S. Navy Photograph
LIfe on the USS Shaw
From the collection of crewmen Edmund Buijnarowski showing images taken of and from the USS Shaw, they were developed on February 23, 1940 in San Francisco.
The USS Shaw at Pearl Harbor
Prior to the attack on Pearl Harbor, the USS Shaw (DD-373) was undergoing repairs and maintenance, a situation that made her more vulnerable than the fully operational ships stationed at the base.
In late 1941, the Shaw had been placed in a floating dry dock (YFD-2) at the Pearl Harbor Navy Yard.
The dry dock’s purpose was to facilitate necessary repairs to the Shaw's machinery and hull, ensuring the ship could remain in top condition for its duties in the Pacific.
The U.S. Navy floating drydock YFD-2 arrives at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii (USA), 23 August 1940, after being towed from New Orleans, Louisiana (USA). It is still marked "U.S. Naval Station New Orleans, La". The tug USS Osceola (YT-129) is in the right foreground. One of the other tugs is probably the USS Sunnadin (AT-28). An unidentified destroyer seaplane tender (AVD) is tied up at the Ford Island fuel dock (left center). Visible in the distance, moored on the other side of Ford Island, are (from left to right): the aircraft carrier USS Yorktown (CV-5) (see large "Y"), two destroyers, the seaplane tender USS Wright (AV-1) and two Omaha-class light cruisers. The destroyer USS Shaw (DD-373) was sunk with YFD-2 on 7 December 1941 at Pearl Harbor.
...restricted her ability to manoeuvre...
The ship’s presence in the dry dock placed her in a precarious position. Unlike many of the larger vessels, such as battleships and cruisers moored along Battleship Row, the Shaw had limited mobility while under repair.
Without a full crew on board and with some of her weapons systems offline, she was not in a position to quickly respond to an enemy assault.
The dry dock also restricted her ability to manoeuvre, leaving the destroyer exposed to any aerial attacks that might target the harbour.
...there were signs of possible conflict...
In the months leading up to the 7th Decembe,r tensions in the Pacific were rising as relations between the United States and Japan became increasingly strained.
Although there were signs of possible conflict, many in the U.S. military did not anticipate that an attack on Pearl Harbor was imminent.
As a result, much of the fleet, including the Shaw, was not at full combat readiness.
...would leave her particularly vulnerable...
Despite her situation, the Shaw remained an essential part of the Pacific Fleet, ready to return to service once her repairs were completed.
Her position in the dry dock, however, would leave her particularly vulnerable when the Japanese launched their surprise attack on Pearl Harbor.
The ship’s unprepared state would soon become a focal point during the devastating events that followed.
The Attack on Pearl Harbor: December 7, 1941
On the morning of the 7th December 1941, the USS Shaw (DD-373) was caught in one of the most devastating military strikes in U.S. history when Japanese forces launched a surprise attack on Pearl Harbor.
As Japanese dive bombers and torpedo planes swept across Pearl Harbor, the Shaw came under direct attack.
The dry dock in which she was stationed was an easy target, and with limited defenses, the ship had little chance to effectively repel the incoming assault.
During the early moments of the attack, several bombs struck near the Shaw, and a few hit the ship directly.
One bomb detonated in the forward section, near her ammunition magazines, setting off a catastrophic explosion.
During the Pearl Harbor attack, the USS Shaw (DD-373), moored in a floating dry dock YFD-2, was hit by a bomb during the second wave. The strike ignited her forward magazines, causing a massive explosion that tore off her bow. Despite the catastrophic damage, the Shaw was later repaired and returned to service.
DC Colorized Photo
...sending flames and debris into the air...
The explosion tore through the Shaw, sending flames and debris into the air. One of the most iconic images of the attack captures this moment, with the forward section of the Shaw engulfed in fire and smoke, her bow completely obliterated.
The explosion was so intense that it broke the ship in two.
The blast was followed by a massive fire that threatened to consume the rest of the vessel. By 0925, all fire-fighting facilities were exhausted, and the order to abandon ship was given.
Efforts to flood the dock were only partially successful, and shortly after 0930, her forward magazine exploded.
The USS Shaw burns in Pearl Harbor. Japanese bombers hit the forward portion of the ship with three bombs. The resulting fires proved uncontrollable, and Shaw was ordered abandoned.
Soon after, her forward ammunition magazines detonated in a spectacular blast, completely removing her bow.
...the men worked frantically...
Despite the immense destruction, the crew of the Shaw displayed extraordinary bravery.
Although much of the ship was lost, many of the men worked frantically to extinguish the fires and save what remained of the vessel.
The efforts of both the Shaw's crew and the Navy yard firefighters helped prevent the fire from spreading to the ship’s aft, sparing the engines and allowing for the possibility of future salvage.
USS Shaw (DD-373) burning in floating drydock YFD-2 after she was set afire by Japanese dive bombing attacks, 7 December 1941. The burning bow of USS Nevada (BB-36) is on the right. At left is a motor launch from USS San Francisco (CA-38).
Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives.
...overwhelming odds and significant damage...
The USS Shaw suffered 24 fatalities during the attack, and many others were wounded.
The destruction was devastating, yet the resilience of the crew was emblematic of the broader response by U.S. forces at Pearl Harbor.
Despite overwhelming odds and significant damage, their efforts helped stabilize the situation in the aftermath of the assault.
The twisted remains of the destroyer USS SHAW burning in floating drydock at Pearl Harbor after the attack. The USS Shaw sustained catastrophic damage during the second wave of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. A bomb struck the ship’s forward section, directly hitting her magazines, resulting in a massive explosion. The force of the blast was so powerful that it completely obliterated the bow, sending debris flying and creating a towering fireball that was visible across the harbor. The explosion also caused severe structural damage throughout the ship, engulfing her in flames and leaving much of her forward section in ruins.
...eventual recovery and return to service...
In the days following the attack, salvage crews inspected the remains of the Shaw.
While the forward section was a complete loss, the rest of the ship was deemed salvageable.
Her eventual recovery and return to service would become a symbol of the U.S. Navy’s resolve in the wake of the Pearl Harbor disaster.
USS Shaw (DD-373) burning in floating drydock YFD-2 shortly after the explosion that blew off her bow. The drydock has partially sunk, allowing Shaw's after section to float free. Note men on the beach, at left, playing fire hoses in the direction of the drydock.
Official U.S. Navy Photograph
Heroism and the Crew's Response
During the attack on Pearl Harbor, the crew of the USS Shaw (DD-373) displayed remarkable heroism in the face of overwhelming adversity.
As Japanese planes descended upon the harbor, the Shaw was particularly vulnerable in her dry dock, with much of the ship undergoing maintenance and not fully operational.
Despite these challenges, the crew responded with courage and determination to save their ship and fellow sailors.
The U.S. Navy destroyer USS Shaw (DD-373) wrecked in the half-sunken floating drydock YFD-2 on 7 December 1941. Her bow had been blown off by the explosion of her forward magazines, after she was set afire by Japanese dive bombing attacks.
...igniting fires and triggering a catastrophic explosion...
When the first bombs struck the Shaw, several crew members were killed or wounded in the initial blasts. However, the remaining sailors quickly sprang into action.
With limited resources and no means of escaping the dry dock, the crew worked frantically to man the ship’s available anti-aircraft guns, returning fire against the attacking aircraft.
Despite their efforts, a bomb struck the forward section of the ship, igniting fires and triggering a catastrophic explosion that tore off the ship’s bow.
USS Shaw (DD-373) wrecked in floating drydock YFD-2 on 7 December 1941, with fires nearly out, but with superstructure still smoking. Her bow had been blown off by the explosion of her forward magazines, after she was set afire by Japanese dive bombing attacks. In the right distance are the damaged and listing USS California (BB-44) and in mid-channel the dredge Turbine.
Official U.S. Navy Photograph
...the crew’s efforts helped contain the fire...
In the chaos that followed, the crew continued to display extraordinary bravery.
Many sailors risked their lives to fight the raging fires, trying to prevent the flames from spreading to the ship’s aft section.
Working alongside Navy Yard firefighters, the crew’s efforts helped contain the fire, sparing the engines and critical sections of the ship.
Their quick actions saved what remained of the Shaw and allowed for her eventual salvage.
Another view of the USS Shaw after the Pearl Harbor attack.
...and the bravery of her crew...
Though 24 crew members lost their lives and many others were wounded, the courage of the surviving crew during the attack left a lasting legacy.
Their heroism not only helped minimize further destruction but also embodied the resilience of the U.S. Navy during one of the darkest days in American history.
The Shaw’s story, and the bravery of her crew, became a symbol of perseverance and recovery in the wake of the Pearl Harbor attack.
Aftermath and Salvage Efforts
After the attack on Pearl Harbor, the USS Shaw (DD-373) was left in ruins, her bow completely destroyed by a massive explosion that split the ship in two.
Despite the devastation, the U.S. Navy quickly began salvage operations, recognizing the importance of restoring the damaged vessel.
The immediate priority was to prevent the remaining structure from sinking and to stabilize what could be saved.
Crews worked tirelessly to contain the damage, refloat the dry dock, and preserve the ship’s aft section, which housed critical components, including the engines.
USS Shaw (DD 373), starboard broadside view showing super structure destroyed by bombs during the Japanese attack. Photographed on 12 December 1941.
USS Shaw (DD-373) - At the Mare Island Navy Yard, circa mid-February 1942, just after she arrived to receive a new bow and other repairs of damage from the 7 December 1941 Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. Note her temporary bow, installed just forward of the foremast. Submarine on the building ways in the left distance is probably Whale (SS-239).
...extensive repair and reconstruction efforts would begin...
Shaw's midships and after hull, which had survived the explosion of her forward magazines during the 7 December 1941 Pearl Harbor raid, is at right. The new bow, still largely in frame, is at left, surrounded by scaffolding.
Official U.S. Navy Photograph
Once the fires were fully extinguished and the damage assessed, it became clear that while the forward section was a total loss, much of the Shaw was salvageable.
The ship was carefully prepared for transport, and by February 1942, she was towed from Pearl Harbor to the Mare Island Navy Yard in California, where extensive repair and reconstruction efforts would begin.
At Mare Island, the ship underwent a significant rebuilding process.
The most critical task was fabricating and attaching a new bow to replace the one that had been obliterated during the attack.
This involved precise engineering work, as the forward part of the ship had to be entirely rebuilt.
Along with the new bow, other essential repairs were made to the ship’s internal systems, armaments, and hull to ensure the Shaw could be restored to full combat readiness.
The new bow section in dry dock 1 awaiting arrival of the Shaw.
...a testament to the efficiency and expertise...
The repair work progressed rapidly, with the Navy determined to return as many ships as possible to service following the losses at Pearl Harbor.
By June 1942, less than a year after the attack, the Shaw was ready for action once again.
Her swift return to service was a testament to the efficiency and expertise of the salvage and repair teams.
The Shaw would go on to participate in key battles in the Pacific, making her recovery a significant achievement in the Navy’s efforts to rebuild its forces after the Pearl Harbor disaster.
USS Shaw (DD 373) in Mare Island's dry dock #1 on 28 February 1942. Her temporary bow has been removed.
Courtesy of the Vallejo Naval and Historical Museum.
USS Shaw Damage Reports
NARA San Francisco, Mare Island Naval ShipYard, General Correspondence Files 1941-46.
Naval Historical Center photo
Post-Reconstruction and Later Service
After undergoing extensive repairs at the Mare Island Navy Yard following the attack on Pearl Harbor, the USS Shaw (DD-373) re-entered service in June 1942, marking a significant comeback from the devastation she had endured.
The new bow that had been constructed allowed the Shaw to return to combat duty, and she soon began playing an active role in various Pacific operations during the Second World War.
USS Shaw (DD 373) with her new bow is seen leaving dry dock at Mare Island Navy Yard on the 3rd May 1942.
...utilizing her newly restored firepower...
Shortly after her repairs, the Shaw participated in the Guadalcanal Campaign, one of the critical early engagements in the Pacific Theater.
She provided valuable escort services to convoys carrying troops and supplies, protecting them from enemy submarines and aircraft.
The destroyer also performed shore bombardments in support of American land forces, utilizing her newly restored firepower to assist in the battle against entrenched Japanese positions.
Crewmen exercising with the ship's # three 5"/38 gun mount, while Shaw was tied up alongside a pier at Naval Air Station, Alameda, California, 8 July 1942.
Official U.S. Navy Photograph
...a key role in supporting amphibious landings...
Throughout 1943 and 1944, the Shaw continued to be an integral part of the U.S. Navy's operations in the Pacific.
She saw action in the Solomon Islands and the Marshall Islands, where she played a key role in supporting amphibious landings and providing anti-aircraft defense.
Her versatility as a destroyer allowed her to serve in multiple capacities, from convoy escort and patrol missions to direct combat support.
...despite the catastrophic damage...
In 1944, the Shaw was involved in the invasion of the Philippines, where she once again proved her value in both offensive and defensive operations.
By this time, the Shaw had firmly reestablished herself as a capable and reliable warship, despite the catastrophic damage she had sustained just a few years earlier.
The USS Shaw continued to serve the U.S. Navy until the end of the war in 1945.
Her post-reconstruction service reflected her resilience and adaptability, contributing significantly to Allied victories in the Pacific and reinforcing the legacy of the ship and her crew.
USS Shaw (DD-373) off the Mare Island Navy Yard, California, 5 August 1945, with an increased 40mm gun battery (two quad and two twin mounts) replacing her torpedo tubes and # 3 5"/38 gun.
Official U.S. Navy Photograph
Legacy of the USS Shaw and Pearl Harbor
The USS Shaw (DD-373) holds a unique place in the legacy of Pearl Harbor and World War II, symbolizing both the destruction and resilience experienced by the U.S. Navy during the war.
The dramatic explosion that destroyed her bow during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor became one of the most iconic images of the attack, a visual representation of the devastation inflicted on the U.S. fleet.
However, the Shaw's story did not end in destruction. Her successful salvage, repair, and return to service became a powerful symbol of the Navy’s determination to overcome the adversity of that dark day.
A list of the USS Shaw personnel killed on during the Japanese attack on the 7th December 1941.
...demonstrated the Navy's ability to rebuild...
The Shaw's resilience and return to active duty demonstrated the Navy's ability to rebuild and recover, a theme that echoed across the entire Pacific fleet.
Her participation in key operations throughout the Pacific, including the Guadalcanal Campaign, the Solomon Islands, and the Philippines, highlighted her continued importance in the war effort despite her near-destruction at Pearl Harbor.
The Shaw’s post-reconstruction service proved that even ships gravely damaged in battle could be restored to play a vital role in future victories.
...fueling the resolve to fight back...
Beyond her service record, the USS Shaw’s legacy is intertwined with the broader narrative of Pearl Harbor, a day that forever changed the course of American and world history.
The image of the Shaw in flames became a rallying point for the American public, fueling the resolve to fight back and ultimately triumph.
The ship’s journey from devastation to recovery mirrored the United States' path during the Second World War —rising from the ashes of Pearl Harbor to lead the Allies to victory.
The USS Shaw serves as a lasting reminder of the Navy’s resilience, the sacrifices made by its crew, and the enduring legacy of Pearl Harbor in American history.
Further Reading
