Claxton was a Fletcher-class destroyer, DD-571. Consolidated Steel at Orange laid her down on 25 June 1941, the same day as Dyson, launched her on 1 April 1942, and commissioned her on 8 December 1942.
On the night of 1–2 November 1943 she was in Burke's van off Empress Augusta Bay, with Charles Ausburne, Dyson, and Stanly. The cruisers Montpelier, Cleveland, Columbia, and Denver sank Sendai. That fire is not credited to one ship.
Myoko cut the bow off Hatsukaze. Claxton was among the destroyers that finished her, with Spence, Stanly, and Thatcher. Not one of them is credited alone. Claxton was not sunk that night.
On 1 November 1944 a kamikaze damaged her off Leyte. On 2 December she went into the floating drydock at Manus for repairs. Canberra was already in the dock. Killen, also kamikaze-damaged, was waiting to come in. Claxton was not sunk. She was decommissioned on 18 April 1946 and transferred to West Germany on 16 December 1959.