USS Dunlap (DD–384) was a Mahan-class destroyer in the United States Navy before and during World War II. She was named after Brigadier General Robert H. Dunlap, USMC. In some references, she is listed as a Dunlap-class destroyer. Captain was Clifton Iverson, who earned the Navy Cross during the Battle of Vella Gulf History Dunlap was launched 18 April 1936 by United Shipyards, Inc., New York, New York; sponsored by Mrs Katherine Wood Dunlap, widow of Brigadier General Dunlap and commissioned 12 June 1937. Dunlap operated along the east coast on training duty and in June 1938 served as an escort at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania for the MS Kungsholm, carrying the Crown Prince of Sweden. On 1 September she got underway for the west coast; except for a cruise to the Caribbean and east coast for a fleet problem and overhaul in the first 6 months of 1939, Dunlap served along the west coast until 2 April 1940 when she sailed for Pearl Harbor, her new homeport. World War II On 7 December 1941, during the attack on Pearl Harbor, Dunlap was at sea bound for Pearl Harbor with TF 8 after ferrying aircraft to Wake Island. She entered Pearl Harbor the next day and patrolled in the Hawaiian area until 11 January 1942 when she sortied with TF 8 for airstrikes on the Marshall Islands, returning 5 February. After taking part in the raid on Wake Island on 24 February, she continued to patrol in the Hawaiian area until 22 March, then escorted convoys between various ports on the west coast until returning to Pearl Harbor on 22 October 1942. Dunlap arrived at Noumea, New Caledonia, 5 December 1942 and operated from that base on training and patrol duty and as escort for convoys between, Fiji, Tonga and New Hebrides Islands until arriving at Guadalcanal 30 July 1943 for duty in the Solomon Islands. On the night of 6/7 August, she along with five other destroyers intercepted a Japanese force carrying reinforcements to Kolombangara. In the resulting battle, a night torpedo action, the task group sank three Japanese destroyers and drove the fourth back to its base at Buin, without suffering any damage. After overhaul at San Diego, California, Dunlap sailed 23 November 1943 for patrol duty out of Adak, Alaska until 16 December when she left for Pearl Harbor, arriving 5 days later. She joined the 5th Fleet to