USS Woodworth (DD-460) was a in the United States Navy during World War II. She was named for Commander Selim E. Woodworth. Woodworth was laid down on 30 April 1941 at San Francisco, California, by the Bethlehem Steel Company; launched on 29 November 1941; sponsored by Mrs. Selim E. Woodworth, niece and daughter-in-law of Commander Woodworth; and commissioned on 30 April 1942. Service history World War II After four months spent in fitting out and shakedown, Woodworth spent the remainder of 1942 performing escort duty in the Southwest Pacific area. She stopped at many ports between Australia and Guadalcanal. Woodworth was attached to Task Force (TF) 65 in January 1943, conducting patrols and exercises at the western entrance to Espiritu Santo, New Hebrides. On 2 February, Woodworth passed to the control of Vice Admiral Richard P. Leary who commanded TF 69 from his flagship, . Two days later, that formation was merged with TF 18 consisting of the cruiser , two aircraft carriers, three light cruisers, and four destroyers. An oiler and another destroyer also joined the force on 5 February. The month of February was devoted to patrolling and escorting transports in waters between the Solomon Islands and the New Hebrides. After escorting transports to the Fiji Islands on 1 March, Woodworth returned to Espiritu Santo on 13 March and joined TF 15 organized around the aircraft carrier . Woodworth entered port at Espiritu Santo on 21 March and the following day commenced tender availability. On 3 April, she headed back to the Solomons, arriving at Tulagi on 5 April for entrance patrol. The next day, Woodworth escorted the oiler to Kukum and then resumed her patrol. On 7 April, while escorting Tappahannock in the Solomons area, Woodworth came under enemy air attack by six planes north of Rua Sura Island. Four bombs dropped close aboard Tappahannock. Two struck the sea on the starboard side and threw considerable water over the ship. The attack, which lasted about four minutes, caused no personnel casualties and only minor material damage. Woodworth spent the remainder of April and early May in tactical training exercises, escort, and patrol in waters between the New Hebrides and New Caledonia. From 8 May to 29 June, Woodworth escorted transports carrying reinforcements to Guadalcanal and helped to screen TF 10—consisting of two carriers, three battleships, one cruiser, and several destroyers—to Nouméa. Woodworth continued on to Auckland, New