USS John D. Edwards (DD-216) was a Clemson-class destroyer in the United States Navy during World War II.

For the next three years, she operated out of Norfolk, Virginia making periodic training cruises along the United States East Coast and in the Caribbean.

Following a Mediterranean cruise in late 1927, Edwards transited the Panama Canal and arrived at San Pedro, California, for service in the Pacific.

Shortly after the commencement of hostilities with Japan 7 December 1941, she departed Balik-papan, Borneo, to search for survivors of Prince of Wales.

For the next two months she engaged in patrol, escort, and antisubmarine warfare operations in an attempt to halt the southward advance of powerful Japanese forces from the Philippines into the Netherlands East Indies.

As part of a cruiser-destroyer striking force, she sailed for Makassar Strait to intercept a reinforced Japanese convoy heading for the Java Sea.

In mid-February, Edwards took part in the unsuccessful attempt to intercept a Japanese invasion convoy off Banka Strait in Palembang, Sumatra.

The Allies suffered a heavy defeat, losing a total of 5 ships in this battle (a further five were sunk in associated actions); the Japanese were able to invade and conquer Java.

Lacking torpedoes and low on ammunition, the American ships retreated, opened range and steamed southward for Fremantle where they arrived early in March.