Mahan, DD-364, was the name ship of her class of destroyers. She was named for Rear Admiral Alfred Thayer Mahan, author of The Influence of Sea Power Upon History. United Dry Docks at Staten Island laid her down on 12 June 1934, launched her on 15 October 1935, Miss Kathleen H. Mahan, the admiral's great-granddaughter, sponsoring, and commissioned her on 18 September 1936, Commander J. B. Waller in command. She moved to the Pacific in 1937 and was based at Pearl Harbor.
On 7 December 1941 she was on patrol and, with Task Force 12, was sent after the Japanese force thought to be heading for Jaluit. She did not find it. On 22 October 1942 she and Lamson raided Japanese patrol boats south of the Gilberts and sank two. On 26 October 1942 she shot down four aircraft at Santa Cruz. That day she collided with the battleship South Dakota, and both ships were badly damaged. She was given a new bow at Pearl Harbor.
She returned to the South Pacific in January 1943 and operated from Milne Bay from 2 July. She took part in the Nassau Bay landings on 9 August, the Finschhafen bombardment, the Lae landings in early September, and the Finschhafen landing on 22 September, where her guns splashed three planes. She supported the Cape Gloucester landings on 26 December 1943 and bombarded Los Negros on 28 February 1944, before an overhaul at San Francisco.
On 7 December 1944, patrolling between Leyte and Ponson Island, she was attacked by a swarm of aircraft. She shot down three, but three others crashed into her, and the fires spread to her magazines. She was abandoned and the survivors were picked up by nearby ships. About an hour later Walke sank her by gunfire and torpedoes. NavSource lists six men who died in her that day and remain on duty. She earned five battle stars.