Benham-class destroyer
Benham-class destroyer
Main page
2167562

Benham-class destroyer

logo
Community Hub0 subscribers
Read side by side
Benham-class destroyer
View on Wikipedia
from Wikipedia

USS Ellet in February 1939
Class overview
NameBenham class
Builders
Operators United States Navy
Preceded bySomers class
Succeeded bySims class
Built1936–1939
In commission1939–1946
Completed10
Lost2
Retired8
General characteristics
TypeDestroyer
Displacement
  • 1,656 tons (standard)
  • 1,888 tons (normal)
  • 2,250 tons (full load)
Length340 ft 9 in (103.86 m)
Beam35 ft 6 in (10.82 m)
Draught13 ft 3 in (4.04 m)
Installed power
Propulsion2 shafts
Speed37.9 knots (70.2 km/h; 43.6 mph) on trials
Range5,390 nmi (9,980 km; 6,200 mi) at 12 knots (22 km/h; 14 mph)
Complement
  • 9 officers, 175 enlisted (peacetime)
  • 16 officers, 235 enlisted (wartime)
Sensors &
processing systems
Armament

The Benham class of ten destroyers was built for the United States Navy (USN). They were part of a series of USN destroyers limited to 1,500 tons standard displacement by the London Naval Treaty and built in the 1930s.[2] The class was laid down in 1936–1937 and all were commissioned in 1939. Much of their design was based on the immediately preceding Gridley and Bagley-class destroyers. Like these classes, the Benhams were notable for including sixteen 21-inch (533 mm) torpedo tubes, the heaviest torpedo armament ever on US destroyers. They introduced a new high-pressure boiler that saved space and weight, as only three of the new boilers were required compared to four of the older designs.[3]

The class served extensively in World War II in the Atlantic, Mediterranean, and Pacific theaters, including Neutrality Patrols in the Atlantic 1940–1941. Sterett received the United States Presidential Unit Citation for the Battle of Guadalcanal and the Battle of Vella Gulf,[4] and the Philippine Republic Presidential Unit Citation for her World War II service. Two of the class were lost during World War II, three were scrapped in 1947, while the remaining five ships were scuttled after being contaminated from the Operation Crossroads atomic bomb tests at Bikini Atoll in the Pacific.[5]

Design

[edit]

The ten Benhams were part of a series of three classes with similar characteristics laid down 1935-1937. The other two were the Gridley class (4 ships) and the Bagley class (8 ships). All three featured four 5-inch (127 mm) dual purpose guns (anti-surface and anti-aircraft) and sixteen 21-inch (533 mm) torpedo tubes in four quadruple mounts as built, the largest number of torpedo tubes on any US destroyers.[3] Although all had only one stack, they differed primarily in their machinery. The Benhams were a Gibbs & Cox design with a new high-pressure boiler design that allowed a reduction from four boilers to three, with an efficient turbine arrangement resembling the Mahans'. The Bagleys were a Navy design that duplicated the machinery of the preceding long-range Mahan class; this led to their prominent boiler uptakes around the single stack that were their main recognition feature. The Gridleys were designed by Bethlehem Shipbuilding Company with advanced high-pressure boilers (also built by Bethlehem) but turbines generally similar to the earlier Farragut class, which limited their range.[2][3][6]

Engineering

[edit]

Except for the 1850-ton Somers class, the Benhams' propulsion plant was the most advanced yet installed in US destroyers. A new Babcock & Wilcox boiler design was used that allowed a reduction from four boilers to three, saving considerable space and weight. Steam pressure was increased from 400 psi (2,800 kPa) to 600 psi (4,100 kPa) (one reference says 565 psi), superheated to 700 °F (371 °C) as in the Gridleys.[2][7][8] Features that improved fuel economy included boiler economizers, double reduction gearing, and cruising turbines. Range was somewhat less than in the Bagleys at 5,390 nmi (9,980 km; 6,200 mi) versus 6,940 nmi (12,850 km; 7,990 mi), possibly due to a smaller fuel capacity of 484 tons versus 504 tons. The main turbines developed 49,250 shp (36,730 kW) on Benham's trials and were manufactured by Westinghouse.[9]

Armament

[edit]

The Benhams had the same armament as the Gridleys and Bagleys: four 5-inch/38 caliber dual purpose guns (anti-surface and anti-aircraft (AA)) in single mounts and sixteen 21-inch (533 mm) torpedo tubes in quadruple mounts.[3] The Mark 15 torpedo was equipped.[10] This was the heaviest armament in torpedoes ever on US destroyers. Compared with the Mahans, they sacrificed one gun for four additional torpedo tubes. It was suggested that these ships could use "curved ahead fire", using the adjustable post-launch gyro angle of their torpedoes to launch a sixteen-torpedo spread ahead of the ship.[3] One reason for the heavy destroyer torpedo armament was that, alone among the major navies, the last nine of the seventeen US Treaty cruisers built in the 1920s and 1930s lacked torpedoes; eventually all of the US Treaty cruisers' torpedoes were removed in 1941 in favor of additional heavy AA guns.[11]

As with most other US destroyers of this period, the 5-inch guns featured all-angle power loading and were director controlled, making them as effective as the technology allowed against aircraft. By late 1942, radio proximity fuses (VT fuses) made them much more effective. As in the last two Maurys, the two forward 5-inch guns were in enclosed mounts, while the after guns were open. However, in the Benhams, the after two mounts were a Mark 30 Mod 1 base-ring type with an integral ammunition hoist fed from a handling room below each gun, as in an enclosed mount.[3][6][12] This allowed some of the class to be fitted with an enclosure for No. 4 gun and an open-top shield for No. 3 gun while on Neutrality Patrol in the Atlantic in 1941; but the shields were removed later to save weight for light anti-aircraft armament.[5][13] In common with all US surface combatants in the 1930s, the as-built light AA armament was weak; only four .50 caliber machine guns (12.7 mm) were equipped. It was apparently felt that the heavy AA armament would shoot down most incoming aircraft in all situations, but the attack on Pearl Harbor showed that this was not true.[14]

While on Neutrality Patrol, some of the class landed their after torpedo tube mounts and .50-caliber machine guns so that their Depth charge and light AA batteries could be increased; photographs show six Oerlikon 20 mm cannon were added along with four K-gun depth charge throwers and, reportedly, a Y-gun on some ships.[15][16] These ships later received two twin 40 mm Bofors mounts on their after deckhouses before being transferred to the Pacific. In 1945, Lang, Sterett, and Wilson also landed their remaining torpedo tubes and after 5-inch gun shields in favor of a total of four 40 mm twin mounts and four 20 mm twin mounts.[5][17]

Service

[edit]

This class, except Benham and Ellet, served on Neutrality Patrols in the Atlantic and escort duty in the Atlantic and Mediterranean as Destroyer Squadron 8 (with Wainwright as flagship) from April 1940 to December 1941. Benham and Ellet were at sea in the Pacific on 7 December 1941 with Dunlap and Fanning of the Mahan class as Destroyer Division (DesDiv) 12 (part of Destroyer Squadron (DesRon) 6, with Balch as flagship). Later, this four-ship division escorted the aircraft carrier Enterprise during the Doolittle Raid on Japan.[5]

In June 1942, while DesDiv 15 (Lang, Stack, Sterett and Wilson) escorted the aircraft carrier Wasp to the Pacific, DesDiv 16 (Mayrant, Trippe, Rhind, and Rowan) remained in the Atlantic, supporting the Operation Torch landings in North Africa in December 1942. In 1943 they served off Italy, where Mayrant was badly damaged by a German air attack off Palermo and Rowan sunk by an E-boat (torpedo boat) attack off Salerno.[5]

Meanwhile, the six Pacific destroyers operated in the Solomon Islands (where Ellet was ordered to sink the Australian heavy cruiser Canberra after the Battle of Savo Island), and were on hand for the Naval Battle of Guadalcanal, 13–15 November 1942, in which Sterett was badly damaged and Benham sunk. Lang, Sterett, and Stack formed division "A-2" at the Battle of Vella Gulf in 1943 and, thereafter, all five remaining ships accompanied the advance through the Marshalls and Marianas. Reassigned as DesDiv 4 of DesRon 2, the former DesDiv 15 ships were at Leyte and later Okinawa; Ellet was at Iwo Jima. In April 1945, Sterett and Wilson were both damaged in kamikaze attacks while on radar picket duty; Wilson remained in service while Sterett returned to service as the war ended. Sterett, Ellet, and Lang were scrapped in 1947. The others, contaminated as targets in the Operation Crossroads atomic bomb tests, were decommissioned and scuttled in deep water off Kwajalein in 1948.[5]

Sterett earned 12 battle stars, the United States Presidential Unit Citation for the Battle of Guadalcanal and the Battle of Vella Gulf,[4] and the Philippine Republic Presidential Unit Citation for her World War II service.

Ships in class

[edit]
Ships of the Benham destroyer class[6]
Name Hull no. Builder Laid down Launched Commissioned Decommissioned Fate
Benham DD-397 Federal Shipbuilding 1 September 1936 16 April 1938 2 February 1939 N/a Torpedoed by Japanese at Naval Battle of Guadalcanal 15 November 1942, scuttled by Gwin[18]
Ellet DD-398 3 December 1936 11 June 1938 17 February 1939 29 October 1945 Sold for scrap 1 August 1947
Lang DD-399 5 April 1937 28 August 1938 30 March 1939 16 October 1945 Sold for scrap 31 October 1947
Mayrant DD-402 Boston Navy Yard 15 April 1937 14 May 1938 13 September 1939 28 August 1946 Damaged during Operation Crossroads atomic tests at Bikini Atoll, July 1946. Scuttled off Kwajalein, 4 April 1948
Trippe DD-403 1 November 1939 28 August 1946 Damaged during Operation Crossroads atomic tests at Bikini Atoll, July 1946. Scuttled off Kwajalein, 3 February 1948
Rhind DD-404 Philadelphia Naval Shipyard 22 September 1937 28 July 1938 10 November 1939 26 August 1946 Damaged during Operation Crossroads atomic tests at Bikini Atoll, July 1946. Scuttled off Kwajalein, 22 March 1948
Rowan DD-405 Norfolk Navy Yard 25 June 1937 5 May 1938 23 September 1939 N/a Torpedoed by German E-boats while on convoy duty between Salerno and Oran 11 September 1943
Stack DD-406 20 November 1939 29 August 1946 Damaged during Operation Crossroads atomic tests at Bikini Atoll, July 1946. Sunk as target off Kwajalein, 24 April 1948
Sterett DD-407 Charleston Navy Yard 2 December 1936 27 October 1938 15 August 1939 2 November 1945 Sold for scrap 10 August 1947
Wilson DD-408 Puget Sound Navy Yard 22 March 1937 12 April 1939 5 July 1939 29 August 1946 Damaged during Operation Crossroads atomic tests at Bikini Atoll, July 1946. Scuttled off Kwajalein, 8 March 1948

See also

[edit]
Wikimedia Commons logo
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Benham class destroyers.

References

[edit]
[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Benham-class destroyer

View on Grokipedia
from Grokipedia
The Benham-class destroyers were a class of ten 1,500-ton destroyers built for the United States Navy during the late 1930s as part of the Fiscal Year 1936 program, designed by Gibbs & Cox to emphasize torpedo attack capabilities while adhering to interwar naval treaty limitations.[1][2] The ships were: USS Benham (DD-397, lead ship), Ellet (DD-398), Lang (DD-399), Mayrant (DD-402), Trippe (DD-403), Rhind (DD-404), Rowan (DD-405), Stack (DD-406), Sterett (DD-407), and Wilson (DD-408). These vessels, constructed at shipyards including Federal Shipbuilding, Boston Navy Yard, Philadelphia Navy Yard, Norfolk Navy Yard, Charleston Navy Yard, and Mare Island Navy Yard, measured 340 feet 9 inches in length with a beam of 35 feet 6 inches and a draft of 13 feet 3 inches, displacing 1,656 tons standard and up to 2,250 tons at full load.[2] Powered by three Babcock & Wilcox high-pressure boilers feeding geared steam turbines that delivered 50,000 shaft horsepower, they achieved a top speed of 37.9 knots and a range of 6,500 nautical miles at 12 knots, crewed by 184 personnel in peacetime (expanding to 251 in wartime).[2][3] Armed with four 5-inch/38 caliber dual-purpose guns in two twin mounts, a world-leading sixteen 21-inch torpedo tubes arranged in four quadruple launchers, and initial anti-aircraft defenses of four .50-caliber machine guns (later upgraded with 40 mm Bofors and 20 mm Oerlikon guns plus depth charge racks for anti-submarine warfare), the class prioritized offensive torpedo strikes over gun firepower compared to predecessors like the Bagley class.[2][4] Their single-stack design and advanced propulsion marked them as among the most modern U.S. destroyers entering World War II service, with all ten commissioned between 1939 and 1940.[1][2] Divided between the Atlantic (Destroyer Squadron 8) and Pacific (Destroyer Division 12, Squadron 6) fleets at the war's outset, the class saw extensive combat service, earning over 91 battle stars collectively for actions including the Doolittle Raid escort, the Guadalcanal campaign (where Benham was torpedoed and sunk on November 15, 1942), Operation Torch landings in North Africa (where Rowan was sunk by U-boat on October 11, 1942), the Battle of Vella Gulf, and Okinawa operations against kamikaze attacks (damaging Sterett and Wilson).[1][2] Two ships were lost to enemy action—Benham and Rowan—while the survivors, including Ellet, Lang, Mayrant, Trippe, Rhind, Stack, Sterett, and Wilson, underwent wartime modifications for enhanced anti-aircraft and anti-submarine roles before being decommissioned post-1945.[1] Most were scuttled as targets during the 1946 Operation Crossroads atomic tests at Bikini Atoll, with the remainder (Sterett, Ellet, Lang) scrapped in 1947, marking the end of a class that exemplified the U.S. Navy's pre-war emphasis on fast, torpedo-heavy escorts.[1][2]

Development and Design

Historical Context

The London Naval Treaty of 1930 established strict limitations on naval armaments among the major powers, capping destroyer standard displacement at 1,500 tons to prevent an arms race following the Washington Naval Treaty of 1922.[5] This constraint directly shaped U.S. destroyer designs in the 1930s, forcing naval architects to balance speed, armament, and endurance within a compact hull while anticipating roles in fleet screening and torpedo attacks. The treaty's influence persisted despite Japan's withdrawal in 1936, as the United States adhered to its terms until the eve of World War II, resulting in classes like the Benham that maximized capabilities under the tonnage ceiling. By the mid-1930s, rising geopolitical tensions—exemplified by Japan's invasion of Manchuria in 1931 and the subsequent expansion of its navy, alongside Nazi Germany's repudiation of Versailles Treaty restrictions and naval buildup—prompted the U.S. to pursue measured fleet expansion.[6] The Vinson-Trammell Act of 1934 authorized initial increases, but the Fiscal Year 1936 program marked a significant step, funding ten Benham-class destroyers to reinforce the Pacific and Atlantic fleets against potential adversaries.[1] This authorization reflected strategic concerns over Japan's growing influence in Asia and Germany's aggressive posture in Europe, emphasizing destroyers for convoy protection and decisive surface engagements. The Benham class drew from the preceding Gridley and Bagley designs, evolving as a variant with refined machinery and armament adjustments to enhance anti-submarine warfare through improved depth charge handling and bolster torpedo roles via a potent battery suited for night actions.[2] Key decisions prioritized high speed—exceeding 37 knots—and a heavy torpedo emphasis over extensive gunnery, aligning with U.S. Navy doctrine for fleet destroyers in expected scenarios of torpedo ambushes against enemy battleships.[3] This approach utilized three high-pressure boilers for efficient propulsion within treaty limits, setting the stage for transitional designs like the subsequent Sims class.[1]

Engineering Specifications

The Benham-class destroyers incorporated a hull design that emphasized speed and seaworthiness while adhering to the displacement limits imposed by the London Naval Treaty of 1930. These ships had a standard displacement of 1,656 tons and 2,250 tons at full load, with an overall length of 340 feet 9 inches, a beam of 35 feet 6 inches, and a draft of 13 feet 3 inches. This configuration provided a slender profile for high velocity, yet sufficient volume for fuel and machinery, enabling effective escort and screening roles in fleet operations.[2] The propulsion system marked a key engineering advancement, utilizing three Babcock & Wilcox high-pressure boilers to supply steam to two geared steam turbines, delivering 49,250 shaft horsepower to twin propellers. By employing fewer boilers than the four used in prior classes like the Bagley, the design achieved comparable power density through elevated steam conditions, optimizing internal space and reducing weight aft for improved trim. This setup, typically manufactured by firms such as Westinghouse or Parsons depending on the builder, powered the destroyers to a maximum trial speed of 37.9 knots.[2][3] Performance characteristics included a cruising range of 5,390 nautical miles at 12 knots, supported by a fuel capacity of approximately 484 tons of oil, which allowed for prolonged transoceanic deployments without frequent refueling. The engineering emphasized reliability for sustained operations, with the high-speed capabilities ensuring the class could keep pace with fast carrier task forces.[2] Crew accommodations accommodated a standard wartime complement of 16 officers and 235 enlisted men, featuring compact but functional berthing, galley, and sanitary facilities designed for the rigors of extended patrols in varied climates. These provisions included hammocks, limited recreation areas, and ventilation systems to maintain morale and operational efficiency during long voyages.[2]

Armament Configuration

The Benham-class destroyers were designed with a strong emphasis on torpedo warfare, featuring the heaviest torpedo battery of any U.S. destroyer at the time of their commissioning. Their primary armament consisted of four 5-inch/38 caliber Mark 12 dual-purpose guns in single mounts, arranged with two forward in enclosed base ring mounts and two aft—one in an open mount and the other initially without shielding.[2][1] These guns served both anti-surface and anti-aircraft roles, providing versatile firepower for surface engagements and limited air defense. The torpedo suite included two quadruple mounts with 16 × 21-inch tubes, loaded with Mark 15 torpedoes, positioned on either beam abaft the stack to enable broadside salvos without reload capability.[2][4] Secondary armament in the original configuration was light, comprising four .50 caliber M2 machine guns for close-range anti-aircraft protection.[1] Wartime modifications significantly enhanced anti-aircraft and anti-submarine capabilities to address evolving threats. By 1941–1942, many ships had two torpedo mounts removed to accommodate additional weaponry, including up to six 20 mm Oerlikon cannons and depth charge racks holding 12–24 charges with four K-guns for projection.[2] Further upgrades through 1944–1945 added two twin 40 mm Bofors guns and additional 20 mm Oerlikons, with some vessels like USS Lang and USS Sterett removing all torpedo tubes by late war to mount four twin 40 mm Bofors and four twin 20 mm Oerlikons.[1] Fire control systems integrated the Mark 37 Gun Fire Control System (GFCS) director for both main guns and torpedoes, utilizing the Mark 10 analog rangekeeper computer to track targets up to 400 knots.[2] Post-1941 refits incorporated radar enhancements, such as the SG surface search radar for improved detection and targeting, alongside SC air/surface search radar, enabling more precise operations in low-visibility conditions.[2] These systems supported the class's dual-purpose role, though the open-top director limited all-weather performance until enclosed variants with Mark 4 radar were added on select ships.[2]

Construction and Commissioning

Shipbuilding Details

The construction contracts for the Benham-class destroyers were awarded in 1936 as part of the U.S. Navy's fiscal year 1936 building program, authorized under the Vinson-Trammell Act of 1934, which mandated replacement of aging vessels to modernize the fleet within London Naval Treaty tonnage limits. The total cost for the ten-ship class was approximately $50 million, equating to roughly $5 million per vessel, reflecting the era's emphasis on cost-controlled expansion amid economic constraints.[7][3][8] Shipbuilding was distributed across private and naval facilities to accelerate production and utilize established expertise in destroyer fabrication. The Federal Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company in Kearny, New Jersey, served as the primary private builder, laying down and launching the lead ships USS Benham (DD-397) on September 1, 1936, USS Ellet (DD-398) on 3 December 1936, and USS Lang (DD-399) on 5 April 1937. The remaining vessels were constructed at naval shipyards: USS Mayrant (DD-402) and USS Trippe (DD-403) at Boston Navy Yard (keels laid 15 April 1937 each); USS Rhind (DD-404) at Philadelphia Navy Yard (keel laid 22 September 1937); USS Rowan (DD-405) and USS Stack (DD-406) at Norfolk Navy Yard (keels laid 25 June 1937 each); USS Sterett (DD-407) at Charleston Navy Yard (keel laid 2 December 1936); and USS Wilson (DD-408) at Puget Sound Navy Yard (keel laid 22 March 1937). Launches occurred progressively from April 16, 1938 (Benham), through June 11, 1938 (Ellet), August 28, 1938 (Lang), and up to April 12, 1939 (Wilson), spanning 1938–1939 but experiencing minor delays due to material shortages stemming from lingering effects of the Great Depression on industrial supply chains.[9][10][2][11][12][13][14][15][16][17] Post-construction quality assurance involved comprehensive sea trials for each ship, prioritizing verification of propulsion performance, speed capabilities, and hull stability under high-speed maneuvers. Trials highlighted the class's robust engineering, with representative examples like USS Benham achieving 40.9 knots at full power output of 49,250 shaft horsepower, confirming the geared turbine system's efficiency while requiring limited adjustments to reduce operational vibrations in the mounts for sustained reliability.[9][3]
ShipBuilderKeel LaidLaunched
USS Benham (DD-397)Federal Shipbuilding, Kearny, NJSeptember 1, 1936April 16, 1938
USS Ellet (DD-398)Federal Shipbuilding, Kearny, NJDecember 3, 1936June 11, 1938
USS Lang (DD-399)Federal Shipbuilding, Kearny, NJApril 5, 1937August 28, 1938
USS Mayrant (DD-402)Boston Navy YardApril 15, 1937May 14, 1938
USS Trippe (DD-403)Boston Navy YardApril 15, 1937May 14, 1938
USS Rhind (DD-404)Philadelphia Navy YardSeptember 22, 1937July 28, 1938
USS Rowan (DD-405)Norfolk Navy YardJune 25, 1937May 5, 1938
USS Stack (DD-406)Norfolk Navy YardJune 25, 1937May 5, 1938
USS Sterett (DD-407)Charleston Navy YardDecember 2, 1936October 27, 1938
USS Wilson (DD-408)Puget Sound Navy YardMarch 22, 1937April 12, 1939

Commissioning Timeline

The lead ship of the class, USS Benham (DD-397), was commissioned on 2 February 1939 at the New York Navy Yard, with Lieutenant Commander Thomas F. Darden, an experienced destroyer officer, in command.[9] This ceremony underscored the class's importance in modernizing the U.S. Navy's destroyer force amid rising global tensions, emphasizing enhanced torpedo capabilities for fleet screening roles.[9] The remaining nine ships followed over the next ten months, with USS Ellet (DD-398) entering service on 17 February 1939 under Lieutenant Commander F. J. Mee, and the final vessel, USS Stack (DD-406), commissioning on 20 November 1939.[10][15] Following commissioning, each ship underwent shakedown cruises lasting three to six months, primarily in the Atlantic Ocean to test systems and train crews. These periods included gunnery and torpedo drills in the Caribbean, such as Benham's May–June 1939 voyage to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, for tactical exercises before returning via Corpus Christi and New Orleans.[9] Similarly, Ellet conducted neutrality patrols off the Grand Banks in September–October 1939, honing antisubmarine warfare skills during early wartime vigilance.[10] Such trials ensured operational readiness, with adjustments to propulsion and armament based on performance data from these Atlantic-based evolutions.[9] Most Benham-class destroyers joined Destroyer Squadron 7 (DesRon 7), part of the Atlantic Fleet's Destroyer Division 18, reporting initially at bases like Newport, Rhode Island.[9] Their early assignments focused on training exercises and neutrality enforcement patrols, including Gulf of Mexico operations for Ellet after October 1939.[10] Built by yards such as Federal Shipbuilding for the first three ships, these vessels integrated rapidly into fleet routines, supporting interwar maneuvers that prepared the Navy for potential conflict.[18] Commissioning captains, drawn from seasoned officers, facilitated this transition, as seen in Darden's prior service on multiple destroyer commands.[9]

Operational History

Pre-War Operations

Following the outbreak of war in Europe on 1 September 1939, the newly commissioned Benham-class destroyers were rapidly assigned to Neutrality Patrols along the U.S. East Coast and approaches to Halifax to enforce the arms embargo and safeguard neutral shipping from belligerent interference.[9] USS Benham (DD-397), for instance, departed Norfolk on 5 September in company with USS Davis (DD-395) for her initial patrol in the Grand Banks area southeast of Newfoundland, lasting until 14 October and including an escort of the U.S. liner Iroquois on 8 October.[9] Similarly, USS Lang (DD-399) supported these efforts early by departing New York on 12 August to guard President Franklin D. Roosevelt's passage to Campobello, Newfoundland, and Nova Scotia, before joining routine patrols out of Norfolk and Galveston.[19] These operations extended into the Gulf of Mexico by late 1939, where Benham trailed the German liner Columbus and the steamer Arauca on 14–15 December during patrols off Veracruz from 9 December 1939 to 7 February 1940, demonstrating the class's role in monitoring Axis merchant activity without direct confrontation.[9] In spring 1940, as part of the U.S. Fleet's repositioning to the Pacific amid rising Japanese tensions, several Benham-class ships transited to Hawaii for Fleet Problem XXI, the final pre-war large-scale fleet exercise held in April–May near the Hawaiian Islands, which simulated defensive operations against an invasion force and emphasized torpedo attack tactics in fleet maneuvers.[9] Benham arrived at Pearl Harbor on 10 April and participated alongside other destroyers, followed by months of intensive training in antiaircraft defense, gunnery, and antisubmarine warfare through October 1940 to enhance crew proficiency for potential Pacific contingencies.[9] Ships like USS Wilson (DD-408) also joined DesDiv 12 for the exercise before local operations out of Pearl Harbor and Lahaina Roads, building operational cohesion within the squadron.[20] By early 1941, with the passage of the Lend-Lease Act in March, the emphasis shifted back to the Atlantic for most of the class (except Benham and Ellet, which remained in the Pacific), as Destroyer Squadron 8—comprising vessels such as USS Mayrant (DD-402), USS Trippe (DD-403), and USS Rowan (DD-405)—conducted escorts for merchant convoys carrying aid to Britain, patrolling extended neutrality zones to Iceland and the mid-Atlantic.[1] Rowan, after Pacific duty in 1940–41, rejoined the Atlantic in May for these patrols, screening shipments under growing U-boat threats.[21] From September 1941, following President Roosevelt's directive, Benham-class destroyers in DesRon 8 escorted transatlantic convoys from Iceland bases to counter German submarine wolfpacks and protect Lend-Lease cargoes.[22] These patrols led to tense diplomatic incidents with German U-boats off Iceland, heightening pre-war escalation and readying crews for combat through simulated and real antisubmarine actions.[23] For example, squadron ships trailed suspicious contacts during sweeps to Reykjavik and participated in depth-charge attacks on submerged submarines in the Denmark Strait approaches, mirroring broader U.S. Navy engagements like the USS Niblack's April 1941 action that prompted German protests.[23] Such close calls, amid indirect involvement in convoy defenses where U-boats like U-552 conducted attacks on Allied shipping in late 1941, underscored the class's evolving role in undeclared naval warfare.[2]

World War II Service

Following the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, several Benham-class destroyers were rapidly transferred to the Pacific Fleet to bolster operations in the early stages of the war. USS Sterett (DD-407) and USS Wilson (DD-408) joined Task Force 18 in July 1942, arriving in the South Pacific to support the Guadalcanal campaign as part of Operation Watchtower.[16][17] Sterett screened transports during the initial landings on 7 August 1942, conducted shore bombardments, and participated in the Naval Battle of Guadalcanal on 12-13 November, where she sank the Japanese destroyer Makigumo and damaged the battleship Hiei while shooting down four enemy aircraft.[16] For her actions in the Guadalcanal campaign, Sterett received the Presidential Unit Citation.[16] Wilson similarly supported the landings, bombarded Japanese positions on Guadalcanal, and rescued survivors from the cruiser USS Astoria during the Battle of Savo Island on 9 August 1942.[17] Other Benham-class ships played key roles in high-profile early Pacific operations. USS Benham (DD-397) escorted oilers during the Doolittle Raid on Tokyo in April 1942, providing antisubmarine screening for the supporting task force before returning to Pearl Harbor on 25 April.[9] Benham later participated in the Naval Battle of Guadalcanal on 14-15 November 1942, where she was struck by a torpedo at 0038 on 15 November, losing her bow forward of the bridge; the damaged ship was scuttled by friendly gunfire later that day, with all hands surviving.[9] In the Mediterranean theater, USS Rowan (DD-405) supported the invasion of North Africa (Operation Torch) in November 1942, screening transports off Fedhala and patrolling near Casablanca.[14] She continued with Allied operations, including the Sicilian invasion in July 1943 and the Salerno landings in September, but was torpedoed and sunk by a German E-boat on 11 September 1943 in the Gulf of Salerno, resulting in 202 crewmen lost.[14] Benham-class destroyers in the Mediterranean also contributed to major amphibious assaults. USS Mayrant (DD-402) screened battleships during the North African landings in November 1942 and provided fire support off Casablanca, later participating in the Sicilian campaign where she was bombed but sustained only minor damage off Palermo on 26 July 1943.[24] USS Trippe (DD-403) escorted convoys to North Africa and supported the Torch landings, then fired on German counterattacks during the Salerno invasion in September 1943.[25] Both ships earned multiple battle stars for these operations, with Mayrant receiving three and Trippe six.[26][27] In the war's final phases, surviving Benham-class destroyers shifted to the Central Pacific. USS Stack (DD-406) arrived off Okinawa on 1 April 1945 for radar picket and antisubmarine duties, defending against intense kamikaze assaults; on 8 April, she sustained minor damage to a diesel compressor from a near miss during a massed attack.[15] Stack earned 12 battle stars overall, as did Sterett, while Benham and Rowan each received five; collectively, the class garnered over 91 battle stars for service across both theaters.[9][14][16][1]

Post-War Fate and Legacy

Losses and Survivability

The Benham-class destroyers experienced two combat losses during World War II, both due to torpedo strikes, with no ships lost to aerial attack despite later upgrades to their anti-aircraft batteries. USS Benham (DD-397) was torpedoed by the Japanese destroyer Uranami during the Naval Battle of Guadalcanal on 15 November 1942, severing her bow and rendering her unsalvageable; she was scuttled by USS Gwin later that day after her crew was rescued with no reported fatalities from the sinking itself.[9] USS Rowan (DD-405) was struck by a torpedo from German E-boats (Schnellboote S-57, S-151, S-152, and S-154) off Salerno, Italy, on 11 September 1943 while screening transports during the Allied invasion; she sank rapidly in less than a minute, resulting in 202 deaths out of 273 crew members.[28][29] Several Benham-class ships sustained significant damage but were repaired and returned to service, highlighting both vulnerabilities and resilience in the design. For instance, USS Mayrant (DD-402) suffered extensive blast damage and flooding from a near miss by a German Ju 87 Stuka dive bomber off Palermo on 26 July 1943, killing five crewmen and wounding 18, but was towed to port and fully repaired.[2] Similarly, USS Sterett (DD-407) was heavily damaged by gunfire and torpedo fragments during the same Guadalcanal action that sank Benham, yet underwent repairs and continued operations, including surviving a later kamikaze hit at Okinawa in April 1945.[2] The class's single 5-inch/38 caliber guns, mounted openly without full shielding, proved particularly susceptible to splinter damage in close-quarters surface actions, as seen in topside injuries reported across multiple engagements.[1] Key survivability features of the Benham class included a compartmentalized hull that enhanced buoyancy and damage control, exemplified by Benham remaining afloat long enough after her torpedo hit for orderly evacuation without major loss of life.[9] Effective crew training in damage control and abandon-ship procedures also contributed to relatively low casualty rates in survivable incidents, such as Benham's sinking where all hands were accounted for post-evacuation.[30] In comparative terms, the Benham class achieved an 80% survival rate with eight of ten ships enduring the war, outperforming some contemporary destroyer classes like the earlier Farragut class that suffered higher proportional losses in similar roles.[31] Their emphasis on heavy torpedo armament—sixteen tubes per ship—fostered aggressive tactics in night surface battles, increasing exposure to enemy fire but also enabling effective strikes against superior forces.[2]

Decommissioning and Disposal

Following the end of World War II, the surviving Benham-class destroyers were rapidly inactivated, with most decommissioned between late 1945 and mid-1946 after V-J Day and placed in the Atlantic Reserve Fleet for storage and maintenance.[10] For example, USS Ellet (DD-398) was decommissioned on 29 October 1945 at Mare Island Navy Yard, while USS Sterett (DD-407) followed on 2 November 1945 at New York.[16] This process reflected the U.S. Navy's post-war demobilization efforts to reduce fleet size amid budget constraints and shifting strategic priorities. Five surviving ships of the class—USS Mayrant (DD-402), USS Rhind (DD-404), USS Stack (DD-406), USS Trippe (DD-403), and USS Wilson (DD-408)—were selected as target vessels for Operation Crossroads, a series of nuclear weapons tests conducted at Bikini Atoll in the Marshall Islands from May to August 1946.[32] Positioned within the atoll's lagoon as part of Joint Task Force One's target array, the destroyers endured the Able airburst on 1 July 1946 and the Baker underwater detonation on 25 July 1946. These tests caused varying degrees of structural damage and radiological contamination; all five ships survived the detonations but were too contaminated for further service and were towed to Kwajalein Atoll for evaluation before being scuttled by naval gunfire and torpedoes between February and April 1948: USS Trippe on 3 February, USS Wilson on 8 March, USS Rhind on 22 March, USS Mayrant on 4 April, and USS Stack on 24 April.[33] The remaining three ships—USS Ellet (DD-398), USS Lang (DD-399), and USS Sterett (DD-407)—were sold for scrap in 1947 as part of broader naval reduction programs aimed at disposing of obsolete vessels.[10] USS Lang (DD-399), for instance, was sold on 20 December 1946 and fully scrapped by 31 October 1947.[19] This disposal aligned with the 1944 Washington Naval Treaty aftermath and post-war treaties limiting naval tonnage. No complete hulls from the Benham class have been preserved as museum ships, but select artifacts have been repurposed for commemorative purposes, such as the ship's bell from USS Lang, which was mounted in Veteran's Park in Glen Rock, New Jersey, and unveiled on Memorial Day 1955.[34] Operational and test data from the class, including survivability insights from Operation Crossroads, informed the evolution of post-war destroyer designs, notably the Allen M. Sumner-class destroyers, which incorporated enhanced anti-aircraft armament and structural reinforcements to address vulnerabilities observed in earlier classes like the Benham.[33]

References

  1. Benham-class destroyers in World War II
  2. Benham class Destroyers (1938) - Naval Encyclopedia
  3. Benham Class, U.S. Destroyers - The Pacific War Online Encyclopedia
  4. Benham class Destroyers - Allied Warships of WWII - Uboat.net
  5. The London Naval Conference, 1930 - Office of the Historian
  6. Prelude to War - Naval History and Heritage Command - Navy.mil
  7. [PDF] REPORT - GovInfo
  8. The Genesis of the Modern Navy | Proceedings - U.S. Naval Institute
  9. Benham II (DD-397) - Naval History and Heritage Command
  10. Ellet (DD-398) - Naval History and Heritage Command
  11. https://www.navsource.org/archives/05/397.htm
  12. USS Lang (DD-399) - Naval History and Heritage Command
  13. USS Wilson (DD-408), Benham-class destroyer in World War II
  14. USS Rowan (DD-405)
  15. USS Mayrant (DD-402), Benham-class destroyer in World War II
  16. Pre-U.S. Entry Into WWII - Naval History and Heritage Command
  17. Sterett II (DD-407) - Naval History and Heritage Command
  18. Wilson (DD-408) - Naval History and Heritage Command
  19. Rowan III (DD-405) - Naval History and Heritage Command
  20. Destroyer Report - Gunfire, Bomb and Kamikaze Damage
  21. H-035-2 Mediterranean Theater Catch-up
  22. USS Mayrant DD 402,Navy Ship World War 2 Campaign Battle Stars
  23. USS Trippe DD 403,Navy Ship World War 2 Campaign Battle Stars
  24. Stack (DD-406) - Naval History and Heritage Command
  25. Our Yard History: USS Rowan (DD 405) - DVIDS
  26. USS Rowan (DD 405) of the US Navy - Allied Warships of WWII
  27. USS Benham (DD-397), Benham-class destroyer in World War II
  28. Benham class Destroyers - Allied Warships of WWII - Uboat.net
  29. Composition of Joint Task Force One
  30. Disposition of Target Vessels - Naval History and Heritage Command
  31. The Ship's Bell - Naval History and Heritage Command
User Avatar
No comments yet.