USS Benham DD-397

The USS Benham (DD-397) was the first of 10 vessels constructed in the late 1930s that came to be known as Benham-class destroyers. The vessel was the lead ship of this class of destroyers that were based on the previous Gridley and Bagley-class vessels of the early 1930s. They were slightly smaller than those that came after, but faster as well, capable of traveling 38 knots at full steam.

The Benham's keel was laid in September 1936 at the Federal Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company's facility in Kearny, New Jersey and completed 18 months later. She was commissioned on 2 February 1939 and placed under command of Lieutenant Commander T. F. Darden.

Her first year in service was spent patrolling the coast of Newfoundland and the Gulf of Mexico before the vessel was ordered to Pearl Harbor. Between April 1940 and the fall of 1941 she sailed back and forth between Hawaii and the California coast. At the end of November, realizing war with Japan was imminent, the Roosevelt Administration ordered the carrier USS Enterprise (CV-3) to deliver combat aircraft to Midway for the U.S. Marines and the USS Benham served as escort. The attack on Pearl Harbor happened while she was she carrying out her orders. The USS Benham remained with the Enterprise and the Saratoga, supporting the Doolittle raid on the Japanese mainland in April 1942 and screening the carriers during the Battle of Midway in June.

The Benham was transferred to Task Force 64 in October to take part in the invasion of Guadalcanal and was caught up in the sea battle that took place on November 14 and 15. At approximately 12:40 in the morning on November 15, the USS Benham was struck by a Japanese torpedo that took off her bow. The captain attempted to return to the island, but by 4:30 the next afternoon, orders were issued to abandon ship. The USS Gwin picked up her survivors, and the vessel sunk three hours later.

Asbestos Risks

On every Navy ship through the 1960s, asbestos was widely utilized to insulate pipes. Since the mineral possesses a natural resistance to heat and fire, it was commonly used aboard ships and vessels for its fireproofing abilities. Nearly all areas of a ship like the USS Benham presented a danger os exposure to asbestos, though the ship's boiler room and engine sections were areas where exposure was especially common. Experiencing major exposure was even more likely when a destroyer incurred damage in battle or through daily operation, causing asbestos fibers to break off into the air where they could be inhaled or ingested by anyone nearby.

Exposure to asbestos can cause the development of a serious disease such as malignant mesothelioma, asbestosis, and lung cancer. If you served aboard the USS Benham or have been diagnosed with mesothelioma, a rare asbestos-related cancer, and wish to learn more about symptoms, treatment and legal options, please click here to receive a complimentary informational packet from Asbestos.com.

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Destroyers Index