Woodworth was a Benson-class destroyer, DD-460, named for Commander Selim E. Woodworth. Bethlehem Steel at San Francisco laid her down on 30 April 1941, launched her on 29 November 1941, and the Navy commissioned her on 30 April 1942.
On the night of 12–13 July 1943 she was new to Rear Admiral Walden L. Ainsworth's cruiser force. Captain Thomas J. Ryan had the rear destroyers: Ralph Talbot, Buchanan, Maury, Woodworth, and Gwin. Ahead of the cruisers were Nicholas, O'Bannon, Taylor, Jenkins, and Radford. The cruisers were Honolulu, the New Zealand cruiser Leander, and St. Louis.
The Japanese covering force was the light cruiser Jintsu and five destroyers. Jintsu was sunk. A torpedo hit Leander. A later spread hit Honolulu, St. Louis, and Gwin. None of those torpedoes is pinned to one Japanese ship. Ralph Talbot sank what was left of Gwin. Woodworth was not sunk. Four destroyer-transports still put their troops ashore on Kolombangara.
She finished the war afloat. She was decommissioned on 14 January 1951 and transferred to Italy.