De Haven sailed from Norfolk, Va. and reached Tongatapu, Tonga Islands, 28 November 1942 to escort a convoy of troopships to Guadalcanal to relieve the Marines who had been there since the invasion landings in August.

De Haven screened the transports off Guadalcanal from 7 to 14 December, then sailed out of Espiritu Santo and Nouméa in the continuing Solomon Islands operations.

While escorting two of the landing craft back to their base in the afternoon, De Haven was warned of an impending air attack by Japanese aircraft supporting Operation Ke.

All was lost after the first hit and the ship began to settle rapidly, sinking in Ironbottom Sound about 2 nautical miles (3.7 km; 2.3 mi) east of Savo Island.

[citation needed] De Haven received one battle star for her World War II service.