USS Benham (DD-796)
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| Career | 
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|---|---|
| Launched: | 30 August 1943 |
| Commissioned: | 20 December 1943 |
| Decommissioned: | 18 October 1946 |
| Commissioned: | 24 March 1951 |
| Fate: | Transferred to Peru as loan, 15 December 1960 Sold to Peru, 15 January 1974 Scrapped, 1980 |
| Struck: | 15 January 1974 |
| General Characteristics | |
| Displacement: | 2,050 tons |
| Length: | 376,5 ft |
| Beam: | 39,7 ft |
| Draught: | 17,9 ft |
| Propulsion: | 60,000 shp (45 MW);
2 propellors |
| Speed: | 35 |
| Complement: | 329 officers and enlisted |
| Armament: | 5 5", 10 21" tt |
The third USS Benham (DD-796) was Fletcher-class destroyer in the United States Navy.
Benham was launched 30 August 1943 by Bethlehem Steel Company, Staten Island, New York; sponsored by Mrs. H. Benham, wife of a grandson of Rear Admiral Andrew E. K. Benham; and commissioned 20 December 1943, Commander E. V. Dennet in command.
Assigned to the Pacific Fleet, Benham arrived at Pearl Harbor 27 March 1944. Upon completion of training exercises near the Hawaiian Islands, she provided important screening services to CVE's during:
- the landings and occupation of Saipan, Tinian, and Guam (14 June-10 August 1944);
- fleet carriers during the operations in the southern Palaus (6 September-14 October);
- Philippine Islands raids (9-24 September);
- Okinawa raid (10 October);
- northern Luzon and Formosa raids (13-14 October);
- Luzon and Visayas raids (15, 17-19, and 21 October, 13-14 and 19-25 November, and 14-16 December);
- Formosa and Luzon raids (3 4, 6 7, 9, 15, and 21 January 1945);
- China coast raids (12 and 16 January);
- Nansei Shoto raid (22 January),
- invasion and occupation of Iwo Jima (15 February-1 March);
- Honshu and Nansei Shoto raids (15-16 and 26 February and 1 March);
- 3rd and 5th Fleet raids in support of the Okinawa campaign (17 March-11 June);
- and 3d Fleet raids on the Japanese home islands (22 July-15 August).
Following the Japanese surrender Benham remained on occupation duty in Japanese waters until departing for the United States 31 October 1945. She remained on the west coast until going out of commission into reserve at San Diego, California, 18 October 1946.
Benham was recommissioned 24 March 1951 and joined the Atlantic Fleet. In addition to normal operations along the east coast and in the Caribbean, the destroyer has made one cruise to northern Europe, two to the Mediterranean, and one to the Far East (1 June-18 December 1954) during which she circled the globe.
Benham was transferred to Peru on 15 December 1960 as Villar as a loan and struck from the Navy List 15 January 1974. She was returned to the US Navy on 15 January 1974 and sold to Peru on the same date. Villar was scrapped in 1980.
See USS Benham for other ships of this name.
External links
- Photo of USS Benham (http://www.destroyers.org/P-Gal-Pages/P1600-1699/P1651.htm)
- Photos of USS Benham (http://www.navsource.org/archives/05/796.htm)