DD-397 U.S.S. BENHAM
War Diary and Action Reports November 1942,

Due to the sinking of the Benham on November 15, 1942, 
no records of the Battle off Guadalcanal were saved 
or recoded.



Information U.S.S. BENHAM

Dictionary of Fighting Ships
U.S.S. BENHAM DD-397
  The second Benham (DD-397) was launched 16 April 1938 by Federal 
Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Co., Kearny, N. J.; sponsored by Mrs. A. I. 
Dorr, grandniece of Rear Admiral Benham; and commissioned 2 February 
1939, Lieutenant Commander T. F. Darden in command.

  Assigned to the Atlantic Fleet Benham patrolled off Newfoundland 
during most of 1939 and then shifted to the Gulf of Mexico. Ordered to 
the Pacific, she arrived at Pearl Harbor 14 April 1940. After 
alternating between Californian and Hawaiian water s, the destroyer 
served as an escort for Enterprise (CV-6) during the delivery of 
Marine planes to Midway (28 November-8 December 1941), thus missing 
the attack on Pearl Harbor. Benham served with the Enterprise and 
Saratoga (C V-3) task forces off Hawaii and with TF 16 during the 
Doolittle raid on Tokyo (8-25 April 1942). She continued operating 
with TF 16 through the Battle of Midway (3-6 June), during which she 
rescued 720 survivors from Yorktown (CV-5) and 188 from Hammann (DD-
412), landings on Guadalcanal and Tulagi (7-9 August), and the Battle 
of the Eastern Solomons (23-25 August). Benham joined TF 64 on 15 
October as part of the naval covering force off Guadalcanal. During 
14-15 November she took part in the Naval Battle of Guadalcanal. At 
0038, 15 November she took a torpedo forward, lost her bow, and had to 
withdraw from the battle. Benham doggedly stayed afloat, making slow 
headway towards Guadalcanal during the 15th but, by 1637, further 
progress was impossible and her valiant crew had to abandon. Gwin (DD-
433) picked up the survivors and sank the hulk at 1938 by shellfire.

Benham (DD-397) received five battle stars for her 11 months service 
in World War II.

                                 Benham Class
                             Completed - 1939 - 40

DD 397 BENHAM
DD 398 ELLET
DD 399 LANG
DD 402 MAYRANT
DD 403 TRIPPE
DD 404 RHIND
DD 405 ROWAN
DD 406 STACK
DD 407 STERETT 
DD 408 WILSON

Dimensions

Displacement:
   1,500 tons (stand)
   2,300 tons (Mean War Service)
Length: 341’ (oa)
Beam: 35
Draft: 17’ (max)

Armament

4 5"/38 DP
2 40mm twins
4 20mm
2 DC tracks
4-6 DC projectors
2 21" TT (quads)

Propulsion

Speed: 34 knots (max)
Max. Cruising radius:
  2,300 miles @ 25 knots 
  4,900 miles @15 knots
Horsepower: 50,0000 (shaft)
Drive: 2 screws; geared turbine
Fuel: 528 tons oil (max)

Remarks:
      The BENHAM’s are slightly improved GRIDDLEY’s.  Outwardly, the 
principal difference consist of a smaller, oval stack, enclosed single 
mounts for the after guns, and a lowering of the trunked boiler 
uptakes leading into the stacks.  Torpedo tubes are still in side 
mounts, but reduced from 16 to 8 in favor of heavier close-defense AA 
armament.

War losses include:
DD 397 BENHAM
DD 405 ROWAN




To learn more about the U.S.S. BENHAM Please visit these Web-site
HISTORY OF THE USS BENHAM Benham Home page
Naval History and Heritage Command has information on DD-397
NavSource Online  Has photos of DD-397



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