USS Colahan (DD-658) was a Fletcher-class destroyer of the United States Navy. Namesake Charles Ellwood Colahan was born on 25 October 1849 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He graduated from the United States Naval Academy 4 June 1869. His career included command of , and . On 1 July 1900, he was promoted from the rank of vice lieutenant-commander to commander in the U.S. Navy. Following a lengthy illness, Colahan died at his home in Lambertville, New Jersey on 11 March 1904. His funeral was held in the United States Naval Academy chapel on 14 March. The full complement of officers and professors who were employed by the Naval Academy at the time attended the funeral and marched with the casket to the Navy cemetery where Colahan's remains were interred. Also accompanying the casket were the Naval Academy Band, a brigade of Naval Academy midshipmen, who were commanded by Commander W. F. Fullam, U.S.N., and a group of serving seamen. The pallbearers were: Honorary, Commander Charles J. Badger, U.S.N.; Commander William F. Halsey, U.S.N.; Lieutenant Commander W. C. P. Muir, U.S.N.; Professors Philip R. Alger and Nathaniel M. Terry, U.S.N.; and W. H. G. Bullard, U.S.N. Construction and commissioning Colahan was launched on 3 May 1943 by Bethlehem Steel Co., Staten Island, N.Y., sponsored by Mrs. P. C. Hinkamp, adopted granddaughter of Commander Colahan; and commissioned on 23 August 1943. Service history World War II Colahan arrived at Pearl Harbor on 11 December 1943 to join the Pacific Fleet. She sortied with Task Force 52 (TF 52) for the invasion of the Marshall Islands on 19 January 1944, and screened during her bombardment of Enubuj and Kwajalein Islands on 31 January. After repairs and training at Pearl Harbor, Colahan sailed on 31 May 1944 to rejoin the 5th Fleet, operated on radar picket, shore bombardment and fire support duty during the bombardment, capture, and occupation of Guam from 12 July to 15 August and screened air strikes in support of the invasion of the southern Palaus from 29 August to 28 September. Colahan screened the Fast Carrier Task Force (then 3rd Fleet's TF 38, later 5th Fleet's TF 58) as it prepared for the Leyte assault with air strikes on the Nansei Shoto and Formosa from 10–14 October, then began strikes in the Philippines until 20 October, day of the landings. Carriers she guarded struck the retiring Japanese forces after the Battle