"Saterlee" was the first ship named for Captain Charles Satterlee USCG (1875–1918), captain of the US Coast Guard cutter , who was killed when "Tampa" was sunk by a German submarine on 26 September 1918. The ship was laid down on 10 July 1918 at the Newport News Shipbuilding & Dry Dock Company, Newport News, Virginia shipyard and was launched on 21 December 1918. The ship was sponsored by Ms. Rebecca E. Satterlee, niece of the ship's namesake. The destroyer was commissioned on 23 December 1919.