USS Bennion

USS Bennion (DD-662), 13 January 1945
History
United States
Namesake	Mervyn S. Bennion
Builder	Boston Navy Yard
Laid down	19 March 1943
Launched	4 July 1943
Commissioned	14 December 1943
Decommissioned	20 June 1946
Stricken	15 April 1971
Honours and awards	10 Battle Stars
Fate	Sold for scrap, 30 May 1973
General characteristics
Class and type	Fletcher-class destroyer
Displacement	2,050 tons
Length	376 ft 6 in (114.7 m)
Beam	39 ft 8 in (12.1 m)
Draft	17 ft 9 in (5.4 m)
Propulsion	60,000 shp (45 MW); 2 propellers
Speed	35 knots (65 km/h; 40 mph)
Range	6500 nm at 15 kn (12,000 km at 28 km/h)
Complement	329 officers and men (1943)
Armament	5 × 5-inch 38 caliber guns, 4 × 40 mm AA guns, 4 × 20 mm AA guns, 10 × 21 inch (533 mm) torpedo tubes, 6 × depth charge projectors, 2 × depth charge tracks

USS Bennion (DD-662) was a Fletcher-class destroyer of the United States Navy. The ship was named for Captain Mervyn S. Bennion who was killed in action during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, while in command of West Virginia. Captain Bennion was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor.

Bennion was launched 4 July 1943 by Boston Navy Yard, sponsored by Captain Bennion's widow. It was commissioned 14 December 1943.

Service history

On 5 January 1945, Bennion encountered two Japanese Matsu class destroyers, Hinoki and Momi, both returning to China after the aircraft carrier Unryu was torpedoed and sunk by USS Redfish (SS-395). Other US destroyers joined in the short fight, and both Japanese destroyers turned away, only for Momi to be caught, torpedoed and sunk by TBM Avengers of Task Force 77 shortly afterwards. Hinoki was later caught and sunk with all hands by gunfire of USS Charles Ausburne (DD-570) and three other destroyers.

Bennion departed Philadelphia, Pa. 3 March 1944 escorting the light aircraft carrier Bataan to the Pacific. Arriving at Pearl Harbor 22 March, she trained and patrolled in Hawaiian waters until 29 May 1944. Moving westward she served as a fighter director and radar picket ship during the following campaigns:

• Marianas Operation (10 June 1944 – 27 August 1944)
• Tinian Capture and Occupation (24 July 1944 – 1 August 1944)
• Western Caroline Islands Operation (31 August – 14 October 1944)
• Leyte Operation (10 October 1944 – 29 November 1944)
• Luzon Operation (12 December 1944 – 1 April 1945)
• Iwo Jima Operation (15 February 1945 – 16 March 1945)
• Okinawa Gunto Operation (Task Force 54, 17 March 1945 – 30 June 1945)
• Third Fleet Operations Against Japan (10 July 1945 – 15 August 1945)

During the Battle of Surigao Strait, in October 1944, Bennion assisted in, and was responsible for the torpedo that sunk the Japanese battleship Yamashiro. Future Chief of Naval Operations Lieutenant (junior grade) James L. Holloway III, served on the Bennion as officer in charge of the destroyer's main fire director. The full extent of Bennion's contribution to sinking the Yamashiro was not recognized until 2010.

Bennion returned to Puget Sound Navy Yard 27 October 1945 and went out of commission in reserve at Long Beach, Calif., 20 June 1946. The ship was stricken from the Naval Vessel Register 15 April 1971. She was sold 30 May 1973 and broken up for scrap.

Awards

Another view of Bennion at sea

Bennion received the Presidential Unit Citation for her actions off Okinawa (1 April – 1 June 1945), and eight battle stars.

References

•  This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. The entry can be found here.

External links

• navsource.org: USS Bennion
• hazegray.org: USS Bennion
• Veterans Newsletter Archived 27 November 2016 at the Wayback Machine