USS Waldron, a 2200-ton Allen M. Sumner class destroyer built at Kearny, New Jersey, was commissioned in June 1944. Following shakedown in the Atlantic, she joined the Pacific Fleet the following October and arrived in the Western Pacific war zone before year's end. During the remainder of World War II, she operated with the fast carrier task forces during their raids on enemy targets in the Philippines, the Asian mainland, Formosa, Iwo Jima, the Ryukyus and the Japanese home islands. On 18 February 1945, Waldron rammed and sank a Japanese picket boat.

When hostilities ceased in August 1945, Waldron remained in the Western Pacific, supporting occupation activities. She returned to the United States early in 1946 and was assigned to the Atlantic. She spent the rest of the decade mainly engaged in training Naval Reservists in the Caribbean area, but made one deployment to Europe before decommissioning in May 1950. Waldron's time in reserve was cut short by the outbreak of the Korean War, and she recommissioned in November 1950. During the next twelve years, she operated in the Atlantic and in European waters, but made one Far Eastern deployment in 1953-54.

Waldron was extensively modernized in 1962, then resumed her Atlantic Fleet career, punctuated by a single tour of duty off Vietnam in 1967-68. She decommissioned in October 1973 and was transferred to Columbia. Renamed Santander, she served in the Columbian Navy until 1984.

USS Waldron was named in honor of Lieutenant Commander John C. Waldron, who was killed in action on 4 June 1942 while leading Torpedo Squadron Eight (VT-8) during the Battle of Midway.