USS Helm (DD-388) was a Bagley-class

Bagley class destroyer

The Bagley class of destroyers was built by the United States. All eight ships were ordered and laid down in 1935 and subsequently completed in 1937. Their layout was based upon the Gridley-class destroyer design, but they retained the power plants of the Mahan-class destroyers, and thus had a...

 destroyer

Destroyer

In naval terminology, a destroyer is a fast and maneuverable yet long-endurance warship intended to escort larger vessels in a fleet, convoy or battle group and defend them against smaller, powerful, short-range attackers. Destroyers, originally called torpedo-boat destroyers in 1892, evolved from...

 in the United States Navy

United States Navy

The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...

 during World War II

World War II

World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...

. She was named for Rear Admiral James Meredith Helm

James Meredith Helm

Rear Admiral James Meredith Helm was an officer in the United States Navy during the Spanish-American War.-Biography:...

. Helm received 11 battle stars

Service star

A service star, also referred to as a battle star, campaign star, or engagement star, is an attachment to a United States military decoration which denotes participation in military campaigns or multiple bestowals of the same award. Service stars are typically issued for campaign medals, service...

 for her World War II service in the Pacific

Pacific Theater of Operations

The Pacific Theater of Operations was the World War II area of military activity in the Pacific Ocean and the countries bordering it, a geographic scope that reflected the operational and administrative command structures of the American forces during that period...

.
Helm was launched by Norfolk Navy Yard on May 27, 1937; sponsored by Mrs. J. M. Helm, widow; and commissioned on October 16, 1937, with Lt. Comdr. P. H. Talbot

P. H. Talbot

Lieutenant Commander P. H. Talbot was the first captain of the USS Helm in 1937....

 in command.

After shakedown, Helm operated in the Caribbean

Caribbean

The Caribbean is a crescent-shaped group of islands more than 2,000 miles long separating the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, to the west and south, from the Atlantic Ocean, to the east and north...

 until March 1938. Following summer exercises, she was attached to the newly formed Atlantic Squadron on October 1, 1938.