USS Preston ( DD - 379 ) USS " Preston " ( DD – 379 ) was a in the United States Navy before and during World War II . She was the fifth Navy ship named for Lieutenant Samuel W . Preston ( 1840 – 1865 ) . " Preston " was laid down 27 October 1934 at the Mare Island Navy Yard , Vallejo , California , and launched 22 April 1936 . She was sponsored by Mrs . Edward H . Campbell , commissioned 27 October 1936 , with Commander C . D . Swain in command . History . Following shakedown , " Preston " operated briefly under the Chief of Naval Operations , then joined Battle Force , U . S . Fleet . Initially assigned to Destroyer Squadron 2 ( DesRon 2 ) , then shifted to DesRon 5 , she conducted peacetime training exercises in the Pacific until 7 December 1941 . Patrol and coastal escort duties along the west coast kept " Preston " in the eastern Pacific until 1 June 1942 . Then setting a westward course she headed for Hawaii in the screen of " Saratoga " . Arriving on the 6th , her group , TG 11 . 1 , departed again the next day to rendezvous with Task Force 17 ( TF17 ) and deliver planes , pilots , and material to " Enterprise " and " Hornet " as that force refueled and rested after the Battle of Midway . On the 13th , " Preston " returned to Pearl Harbor and for the next four months conducted type exercises and performed patrol and escort work in the Hawaiian area . She joined TF 16 on 4 October , and on the 15th sailed for the Solomon Islands . On the 24th , TF 16 rendezvoused with TF 17 , formed TF 61 , and continued on . Two days later , " Preston " , in the carrier screen , introduced her guns to the enemy at the Battle of the Santa Cruz Islands . Downing two planes , she emerged unscathed from her first engagement and retired to Nouméa . Rearmed , she headed back to the Solomons for her second and last fight . On the evening of 14 November , " Preston " , with TF 64 , sailed along the western end of Guadalcanal to intercept another Japan ese run down the “ Slot ” to bombard Henderson Field and land reinforcements . Swinging around Savo Island , the force , two battleships preceded by four destroyers , entered the channel between Savo and Cape Esperance . At 23 : 00 , the battleship " Washington " picked up the Japanese cruiser " Sendai " on her radar , and , at 23 : 17 , the Third Battle of Savo Island began . " Sendai " , accompanied by the destroyer " Shikinami " , had been following the Americans , but 16 ” projectiles drove them off . Soon after , however , the battle was rejoined . The Japanese force had been dispersed and within minutes of the battleship / cruiser encounter , enemy destroyers , edging along the southern shore of Savo , entered the fray . " Benham " and " Preston " followed . " Gwin " , which had been firing illumination shells toward the earlier gunfire exchange , came into the action in time to sight the cruiser " Nagara " and 4 destroyers closing in . Farther out , heavier Japanese ships were preparing to join in . The concentrated American destroyers were now central targets . Approximately 8 minutes after the enemy was engaged , " Walke " was hit . Soon after , " Preston " , preparing her torpedoes , was struck . One salvo from " Nagara " had put both firerooms out and toppled the afterstack . Her fires made an easier target and shells came in from both port and starboard . The fires spread . At 23 : 36 , she was ordered abandoned . Seconds later she rolled on her side . She floated for another 10 minutes , bow in the air ; then sank , taking 116 of her crew with her . The battle continued . " Gwin " now became the target of Japanese guns . Shells exploded in an engine room and on the fantail . At 23 : 38 , " Walke ’ s " forecastle was blown off . " Benham " ’ s bow was all but demolished ; she would go down on the 15th . " Walke " soon followed " Preston " to the Savo Island graveyard . At 23 : 48 , as the battleships took over , the remaining destroyers were ordered to retire . In the ensuing duel , " Washington " inflicted irreparable damage on the Japanese bombardment force and remained unscathed . " South Dakota " , however , was exposed by searchlight and took shells from that enemy force . The Japanese had again scored heavily , but in doing so had lost a battleship and a destroyer , and , more important , had abandoned their mission of bombarding Henderson Field into uselessness . Awards . " Preston " ( DD – 379 ) earned two battle star s for World War II service .