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.