Damage to USS Downes was so severe that she was initially thought to be only worth salvage to clear the drydock in which she rested alongside the capsized USS Cassin (DD-372). However, it was soon found that the two ships' machinery, hull fittings and main battery guns could be repaired. During December 1941, efforts began to strip the ships of guns and other equipment and patch up their hulls to make them watertight enough to float. The salvable items would be shipped to the Mare Island Navy Yard for installation in new hulls, and the old hulls scrapped at Pearl Harbor. By 5 February 1942, work had progressed sufficiently to allow Cassin to be turned upright. A day later, Downes' remains were towed clear of the drydock for further work and eventual scrapping.