Colhoun was launched 10 April 1944 by Todd-Pacific Shipbuilding Corp., Seattle, Washington; sponsored by Captain K. K. Johnson, WAC; and commissioned 8 July 1944.

At 1530 on 6 April 1945, during the first heavy kamikaze raid of the battle of Okinawa, Colhoun received a request for help from USS Bush and sped to her aid.

The bomb from the second kamikaze exploded, breaking Colhoun's keel, piercing both boilers, ripping a 20 by 4 ft (6.1 by 1.2 m) hole below the waterline, and starting oil and electrical fires.

Operating the remaining guns manually, the crew gamely faced yet another wave of three attackers shooting down one and damaging another, while the third kamikaze struck her aft section.

Heavy listing, uncontrolled flooding, and fires made it impossible to save her, and she was sunk by gunfire from USS Cassin Young (DD-793) at 27°16′N 127°48′E / 27.267°N 127.800°E / 27.267; 127.800.