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USS Bennion (DD-662)
Encyclopedia
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 . 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 with Commander Joshua W. Cooper in command.
, Hinoki and Momi, both returning to China after the aircraft carrier was torpedoed and sunk by . 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 and three other destroyers.
Bennion departed Philadelphia, Pa.
3 March 1944 escorting to the Pacific. Arriving at Pearl Harbor
22 March, she trained and patrolled in Hawaii
an waters until 29 May 1944. Moving westward she served as a fighter director and radar picket
ship during the following campaigns:
During the Battle of Leyte Gulf
, Bennion assisted in sinking the Japanese battleship Yamashiro
with torpedoes.
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.
Bennion received the Presidential Unit Citation for her actions off Okinawa (1 April – 1 June 1945), and eight battle stars.
Fletcher class destroyer
The Fletcher class were a class of destroyers built by the United States during World War II. The class was designed in 1939 as a result of dissatisfaction with the earlier destroyer leader types...
destroyer
Destroyer
In naval terminology, a destroyer is a fast and maneuverable yet long-endurance warship intended to escort larger vessels in a fleet, convoy or battle group and defend them against smaller, powerful, short-range attackers. Destroyers, originally called torpedo-boat destroyers in 1892, evolved from...
of the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
. The ship was named for Captain Mervyn S. Bennion
Mervyn S. Bennion
Mervyn Sharp Bennion was a captain in the United States Navy who died during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor...
who was killed in action during the Japanese
Imperial Japanese Navy
The Imperial Japanese Navy was the navy of the Empire of Japan from 1869 until 1947, when it was dissolved following Japan's constitutional renunciation of the use of force as a means of settling international disputes...
attack on Pearl Harbor
Attack on Pearl Harbor
The attack on Pearl Harbor was a surprise military strike conducted by the Imperial Japanese Navy against the United States naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, on the morning of December 7, 1941...
, while in command of . Captain Bennion was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor
Medal of Honor
The Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration awarded by the United States government. It is bestowed by the President, in the name of Congress, upon members of the United States Armed Forces who distinguish themselves through "conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his or her...
.
Bennion was launched
Ship naming and launching
The ceremonies involved in naming and launching naval ships are based in traditions thousands of years old.-Methods of launch:There are three principal methods of conveying a new ship from building site to water, only two of which are called "launching." The oldest, most familiar, and most widely...
4 July 1943 by Boston Navy Yard
Boston Navy Yard
The Boston Navy Yard, originally called the Charlestown Navy Yard and later Boston Naval Shipyard, was one of the oldest shipbuilding facilities in the United States Navy. Established in 1801, it was officially closed as an active naval installation on July 1, 1974, and the property was...
, sponsored by Captain Bennion's widow. It was commissioned
Ship commissioning
Ship commissioning is the act or ceremony of placing a ship in active service, and may be regarded as a particular application of the general concepts and practices of project commissioning. The term is most commonly applied to the placing of a warship in active duty with its country's military...
14 December 1943 with Commander Joshua W. Cooper in command.
Service history
On 5 January 1944, Bennion encountered two Japanese Matsu class destroyersMatsu class destroyer
The were a class of destroyer built for the Imperial Japanese Navy , who referred to them as .-Design basis:The Matsu class were built late in World War II, and they were intended to be more cost-effective in response to the changing character of naval warfare at that time...
, Hinoki and Momi, both returning to China after the aircraft carrier was torpedoed and sunk by . 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
Task Force 77
Task Force 77 has been the aircraft carrier battle/strike force of the Seventh Fleet in the United States Navy since the Seventh Fleet was formed....
shortly afterwards. Hinoki was later caught and sunk with all hands by gunfire of and three other destroyers.
Bennion departed Philadelphia, Pa.
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Philadelphia County, with which it is coterminous. The city is located in the Northeastern United States along the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. It is the fifth-most-populous city in the United States,...
3 March 1944 escorting to the Pacific. Arriving at Pearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor, known to Hawaiians as Puuloa, is a lagoon harbor on the island of Oahu, Hawaii, west of Honolulu. Much of the harbor and surrounding lands is a United States Navy deep-water naval base. It is also the headquarters of the U.S. Pacific Fleet...
22 March, she trained and patrolled in Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
an waters until 29 May 1944. Moving westward she served as a fighter director and radar picket
Radar picket
A radar picket is a radar-equipped ship, submarine, aircraft, or vehicle used to increase the radar detection range around a force to protect it from surprise attack. Often several detached radar units encircle a force to provide increased cover in all directions.-World War II:Radar picket ships...
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 (17 March 1945 – 30 June 1945)
- Third Fleet Operations Against Japan (10 July 1945 – 15 August 1945)
During the Battle of Leyte Gulf
Battle of Leyte Gulf
The Battle of Leyte Gulf, also called the "Battles for Leyte Gulf", and formerly known as the "Second Battle of the Philippine Sea", is generally considered to be the largest naval battle of World War II and, by some criteria, possibly the largest naval battle in history.It was fought in waters...
, Bennion assisted in sinking the Japanese battleship Yamashiro
Japanese battleship Yamashiro
Yamashiro was the Imperial Japanese Navy's second Fusō-class battleship, and was laid down at the Yokosuka Naval Arsenal on November 20, 1913, launched on November 3, 1915, and commissioned on March 31, 1917. She was the first Japanese vessel equipped with aircraft catapults...
with torpedoes.
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
Naval Vessel Register
The Naval Vessel Register is the official inventory of ships and service craft in custody of or titled by the United States Navy. It contains information on ships and service craft that make up the official inventory of the Navy from the time a vessel is authorized through its life cycle and...
15 April 1971. She was sold 30 May 1973 and broken up for scrap.
Awards