USS Mugford (DD-389), a Bagley-class destroyer, was the 2nd ship of the United States Navy to be named for James Mugford, who commanded the schooner Franklin in the Continental Navy, serving through 1775. Construction The second Mugford was laid down 28 October 1935 by Boston Navy Yard; launched 31 October 1936; sponsored by Miss Madeline Orne; commissioned 16 August 1937. Operational history Joining the Pacific Fleet in late 1937, Mugford conducted local operations along the West Coast and around the Hawaiian Islands, taking time out for periodic overhauls and upkeep. From 5 June 1939 to 30 July 1940 she was the first command of then Lieutenant Commander Arleigh Burke, and under his command was awarded a Battle "E" for gunnery excellence. 7 December 1941 found her at Pearl Harbor as flagship of Destroyer Division Eight of Destroyer Squadron Four. When the attack began, Mugford was on standby status, berthed at B6 in the Navy Yard for repairs, and while raising steam to get underway, downed three planes in 10 minutes with her antiaircraft guns. Within an hour after the attack began, the “little ship” was steaming out of Pearl Harbor firing as she went. Her next major duty was to screen the Wake Island relief force and after completion of this duty served as an escort for convoys traveling between the United States and Australia. She served in this capacity until mid‑1942. On 7 August Mugford was on patrol off Lunga Point, Guadalcanal, when a large Japanese airstrike came in; three near misses and one bomb hit couldn’t prevent Mugford from downing two of her attackers, but she suffered eight killed, 17 wounded, and 10 missing. Next day she shot down another enemy aircraft in a raid in which she suffered no damage, and rescued two enemy aviators from the water. On the 9th, she sped toward the action of the first Battle of Savo Island, arriving in time to pull 400 survivors of Vincennes (CA-44) and Astoria (CA-34) from the water. After battle damage repairs at Sydney, from 16 September through December, she operated on patrol in the Coral Sea and along Australia’s northern coast. Brisbane was her base for continued patrol, as well as escort missions to Milne Bay, New Guinea, which became her base later in the summer as New Guinea operations took on a faster pace. She joined in the assault on Woodlark Island in July,