Benham (DD 796) - Naval Cruise Book

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DEDICATION Dedicated to the officers and men of the U.S.S. BENHAM who have served to make it one of the cleanest and smartest destroyers in the Atlantic Fleet. OFFSET IITMOGHAPMT (Y SPAUlOING MOSS COMPANY lOSION MASSACHyStllS. U S .

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:-».«■ U.S.S. BENHAM (DD796) European Cruise April -September 1952 Fletcher Class Destroyer Built by Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corporation Staten Island, New York in 1943 Standard Displacement: 2030 tons Length: 376 ' 6 Beam: 39 ' 4 Shaft Horsepower: 60,000 Rated Speed: 55 knots Armament: 4 — 5 38 Single Mounts 3 5 50 Twin Mounts 3 — 21 Torpedo Tubes Depth Charges — Hedgehogs Crew: 300 plus.

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SHIP ' S HISTORY The present BENHAM is the third ship of that name to honor the memory of Rear Admiral A. E. K. Benham, USN. First came the 11 6-ton Destroyer Number 49, which was commissioned as the USS BENHAM on 20 January 1914 and operated in the war zone during the First World War. The second in the BENHAM line was Destroyer 397, constructed in 1938. When the United States was drawn into the Second World War in 1941 the ship commenced eleven months of almost continuous combat service in the Pacific area. The BENHAM was in on both the Midway and Solomon Islands battles. On 14 November 1942, while operating at night off Guadalcanal, the BENHAM, along with the destroyers PRESTON and WALKE, was sunk by enemy action. How- ever, the Japanese force engaged was even more severely damaged, and this battle marked the end of the enemy threat to the Solomons offensive. The present BENHAM was built at Staten Island and was commissioned on 20 December 1943. After shakedown training in the Caribbean, the destroyer sailed for the Pacific, and by the end of May 1944 was ready for battle. While proceeding west- ward with a group of escort carriers, the formation came under severe air attack and the BENHAM was credited with two kills . Throughout July and August the destroyer provided illumination for night operations on northern Tinian, pounded troop concen- trations, and supported landings on Guam. Palau was hit in early September, Mindanao and the central Philippines later in that month. After replenishing and making routine repairs, the BENHAM again sortied with the carriers in October and participated in strikes against Okinawa, Formosa, Leyte, and Luzon. Operations in early December were carried on in extremely rough seas which culminated in a typhoon on the 18th. By 1120 that morning the BENHAM was in the grip of a tropical cyclone. The wind was estimated at 100 knots. By 1800 the core of the storm had passed and the crew conducted a fruitless search for surv ' ivors of less fortunate vessels. In early 194 ' i BENHAM participated in attacks on Formosa, Luzon, Camranh Bay, Saigon, Hong Kong, Canton, and Hainan. Later operations brought the destroyer to Iwo Jima, Okinawa again, and the Japanese home islands. The month of August was one of speculation and rumor. BENHAM participated in the last strike against Tokyo on the 13th and news of the Japanese surrender arrived while on radar picket station two days later. Return to the United States followed and on 18 October 1946 the ship was decommissioned. The BENHAM remained in mothballs for four and a half years. On 24 March 1951 with the world situation worsening and calling for increased American naval strength, the destroyer was recommissioned at Long Beach, California. Trial runs were completed by the middle of April, and the BENHAM steamed south for shakedown training. On 5 July 1951 the ship entered the waters of the Atlantic for the first time since 1944. Four months were spent in the Boston Naval Shipyard. The BENHAM returned to sea in November 1951 and headed back to the warmer waters off Cuba for seven weeks of refresher training. On 22 April the BENHAM sailed from Newport, Rhode Island. The USS NOA joined from Norfolk a few days later, and together the two destroyers headed eastward across the Atlantic for Europe.