USS Strong (DD-467), was a and the first ship of the United States Navy to be named after Rear Admiral James H. Strong (1814–1882), who rammed the Confederate ironclad during the Battle of Mobile Bay, receiving a commendation and promotion to captain. Strong was laid down on 30 April 1941 at Bath, Maine, by Bath Iron Works, launched on 17 May 1942 sponsored by Mrs Hobart Olson and commissioned on 7 August 1942. History After completing her shakedown cruise and working-up, Strong sailed on 15 October with a convoy to San Juan, Puerto Rico returning to Norfolk, Virginia, on the 27th and departing two days later for New York. On 13 November, she sailed with convoy UGS-2 bound for North African ports. She arrived at Casablanca on 29 November and returned to New York with convoy GUF-2. Following a yard availability period, 11 to 26 December, the destroyer moved to Norfolk. Strong sailed on 27 December 1942; transited the Panama Canal; refueled at Bora Bora, Society Islands; and arrived at Noumea on 27 January 1943. Strong then escorted a convoy northwest for two days and was relieved to return to Nouméa. On 1 February, she and escorted a convoy bound for Espiritu Santo, New Hebrides. She sailed from there on 5 February for the Solomon Islands and patrolled off Guadalcanal until the 13th when she joined Task Force 67 (TF 67) composed of four cruisers and their destroyer screen. The task force devoted most of the next month to patrol duty in waters in and around the Solomons. On 14 March, Strong, , , and were detached to shell shore installations on Kolombangara island and targets on Vila Stanmore Plantation on 16 March. The force then resumed patrol duties in the Solomons. On the morning of 5 April, Strong made a surface radar contact at a range of . The target was illuminated by her searchlight and assessed to be the Japanese submarine . Strong and the destroyer opened fire, claiming three hits. The submarine, settled by the stern and sank. Strong dropped two patterns of depth charges and her crew observed debris rising to the surface at . Strong, with TF 18, accompanied three destroyers minelayers to Blackett Strait, between Kolombangara and Arundel Island and mined it in the early morning hours of 7 May. The next morning, four Japanese destroyers sailed around Kolombangara strait and into the minefield.