After shakedown off the West Coast, Laffey headed for the war zone via Pearl Harbor, arriving Éfaté 28 August 1942. She steamed in antisubmarine screen until she joined Task Force 18 on 6 September. When Wasp (CV 7), her flagship, was sunk 15 September, Laffey rescued survivors and returned them to Espiritu Santo. She sailed with Task Force 64 and touched at Noumea, New Caledonia, 18 September.

Laffey saw her first fleet action in the Battle of Cape Esperance (also known as the Second Battle of Savo Island) 11 and 12 October 1942. The destroyer operated with Admiral Scott’s cruiser group, guarding against enemy attempts to reinforce Guadalcanal. On 11 October, when the group formed into single column, Laffey joined two other destroyers in the van. About an hour later, sailors ran to their battle stations, steel doors clanged shut, and all made ready for battle. When the engagement began, Laffey raked Aoba with three of her 5-inch guns. The furious gunfire roared on through the night. At dawn, destroyer Duncan was sinking, destroyer Farenholt was badly damaged, and cruiser Boise, though hard hit, had weathered several powerful blows. On the other hand, the Japanese losses were even greater. Cruiser Furutaka was sinking, cruiser Aoba was badly damaged, and destroyer Fubuki had sunk.

After the battle, Laffey rendezvoused with a group escorting transports from Nouméa 11 November, and sailed to Lunga Point, arriving the next day. The disembarking operations were interrupted by a heavy air attack.

On Friday 13 November, Laffey was placed in the van of a column of eight destroyers and five cruisers under Admiral Callaghan. Early in the midwatch, the radar operator reported contact with the enemy—a group of two battleships, one cruiser and 14 destroyers appeared on the horizon. Laffey lashed out at the enemy with gunfire and torpedoes. At the height of the violent battle, an enemy battleship came slashing through the darkness and both ships headed at full speed for the same spot. The destroyer unleashed her torpedoes and, using all her firepower, machine-gunned the battleship’s bridge. With a battleship on her stern, a second on her port beam and two destroyers on her port bow, Laffey fought the Japanese ships with the three remaining main battery guns in a no-quarter duel at point blank range.

Suddenly, from the battleship whose bridge she had shot away came a salvo of 14-inch guns that swamped the crippled destroyer. Then a torpedo in her fantail put Laffey out of action. As the order to abandon ship was passed, a violent explosion ripped the destroyer apart and she sank immediately—but her gallant skipper and crew had made the enemy pay a fearful price of one battleship severely damaged, one cruiser and two destroyers sunk.

Laffey was awarded the Presidential Unit Citation for her gallant performance in the South Pacific and three battle stars for World War II service.

Source: Naval History & Heritage Command including Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships.