McCord was named for Commander Frank C. McCord, lost when the airship Akron went down off New Jersey on 4 April 1933. Bethlehem at San Francisco laid her down on 17 March 1942, launched her on 10 January 1943, and commissioned her on 19 August under Commander W. T. Kenny.
She left San Diego on 27 November 1943 and stayed in action from the Marshalls through the Marianas, Palaus, Philippines, Iwo Jima, and Okinawa. Off Kwajalein on 30 January 1944 she was already with the assault force. She reached Puget Sound on 8 July 1945 and was in dock when the surrender was announced. Seven battle stars. She decommissioned on 15 January 1947.
Recommissioned in 1951, she spent a year on the Atlantic coast, then sailed for Korea on 10 January 1953. She screened carriers in the Yellow Sea with Task Force 95 and joined Task Force 77 for bombardment on the east coast. She went back to reserve in the mid-1950s, was struck on 1 December 1974, and was sold for scrap in 1975. One Korean battle star.