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| 100k | Andrew Ellicot Kennedy Benham was born on 10 April 1832 on Staten Island, N.Y. He was appointed a midshipman on 24 November 1847 and served in the East Indies Squadron on board the sloop of war Plymouth in 1847 and 1848 and on board the brig Dolphin in 1849 and 1850. In the latter warship, he participated in the capture of a pirate Chinese junk near Macao, China. During this action, he received a pike wound in the thigh. After another tour of duty in Plymouth followed by one in the frigate Saranac, Benham attended the Naval Academy in 1852 and early 1853. On 10 June 1853, he was promoted to passed midshipman. From mid 1853 to early 1857, he served in the sloop of war St. Mary's on the Pacific Station. On 16 September 1855, while still in St. Mary's, Benham was commissioned a lieutenant. He next served a tour of duty with the Coast Survey late in 1857 and early in 1858. Later that year, he was transferred to the steamer Western Port assigned to the expedition sent to Paraguay to extract an apology for shooting at the gunboat Water Witch. In 1860, he moved to the steamer Crusader in the Home Squadron. After the Civil War broke out, Lt. Benham served on board the steamer Bienville in the South Atlantic Blockading Squadron and, in her, took part in the capture of Port Royal, S.C., on 7 November 1861. On the date that rank was established, 16 July 1862, Benham was promoted to lieutenant commander. Following brief service in Sacramento in 1863, he assumed command of the gunboat Penobscot and served in her through the end of the Civil War, patrolling the Texas coast as part of the West Gulf Blockading Squadron. Upon the return of peace, he served at the New York Navy Yard from 1866 to 1870, but for a stint of duty in Susquehanna in 1867. Following duty as a lighthouse inspector in 1870 and 1871, Benham commanded first Canonicus and then Saugus, both on the North Atlantic Station and returned to lighthouse inspecting in 1874. After commanding Richmond on the Asiatic Station between 1878 and 1881, he went to the Portsmouth (N.H.) Navy Yard. The years 1885 and 1886 brought him his third tour of duty as lighthouse inspector. Following a tour of duty at League Island, Pa., in 1888, he became commandant of the Mare Island Navy Yard in 1889. While there he became Rear Admiral Benham in February 1890 and continued at that post until June of 1891. At the end of a year waiting for orders, he assumed command of the South Atlantic Station in June 1892. However, Rear Admiral Benham was soon transferred to command the North Atlantic Station, flying his flag in San Francisco (Cruiser No. 1). When Admiral Custodio de Mello launched his naval revolt in Rio de Janeiro in late 1893, Rear Admiral Benham commanded the American naval units sent there to protect American citizens and interests. Retired from the Navy on 10 April 1894, Rear Admiral Benham died on 11 August 1905 at Lake Mahopac, N.Y. | Tony Cowart/Robert M. Cieri/Bill Gonyo |
USS Benham (DD-49)
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| 147k | USS Benham (DD-49), painted in peacetime dark Atlantic Fleet grey, taking her place in a fleet review, with the heavy ships of the U.S. fleet in the background, undated and location unkown. Photo U.S. Navy from "An Illustrated History of Destroyers of The World" by Bernard Ireland. | Robert Hurst |
| 67k | Undated stereograph, location unknown. | Tommy Trampp |
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73k | Undated, location unknown. From http://www.naval-history.net/ | Robert Hurst |
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43k | Undated, location unknown. From http://www.naval-history.net/ | Robert Hurst |
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47k | Undated, location unknown. From http://www.naval-history.net/ | Robert Hurst |
| 257k | USS Benham (Destroyer No. 49) making 31.774 knots during sea trials, 16 December 1913.
Naval History & Heritage Command photo NH 56376 | Tony Cowart |
| 69k | Advertisement in the Army and Navy Register, dated 24 February 1917. | Ron Reeves |
| 171k | With her stern nearly awash, USS Benham (Destroyer No. 49) lies tied up next to destroyer tender USS Melville at Queenstown, Ireland. Benham and minesweeping sloop HMS Zinnia collided in fog on August 21, 1917. Badly damaged, Benham was towed to Queenstown by Zinnia.
US Navy and Marine Corps Museum/Naval Aviation Museum, Photo No. 1985.055.001.045 | Mike Green |
| 408k | USS Benham (Destroyer No. 49) in port with her main deck nearly awash, after she was rammed by HMS Zinnia during World War I. She is tied up between USS Ericsson (Destroyer No. 56), at right, and another ship.
Naval History & Heritage Command photo NH 56378, collection of Lieutenant Commander Philip W. Yeatman, USN (Retired). | Tony Cowart/Frances Eickbusch Doane |
| 370k | USS Benham (Destroyer No. 49) in port with her main deck nearly awash, after a collision with HMS Zinnia during World War I. She is tied up between USS Ericsson (Destroyer No. 56), at right, and another ship.
Naval History & Heritage Command photo NH 103746, collection of Lieutenant Commander Philip W. Yeatman, USN (Retired). | Tony Cowart |
| 90k | Crew of the Benham pose with thier damaged vessel after collision, 1918. From the Mike Corwith Special Feature. | Mike Corwith |
| 59k | The side of USS Benham (Destroyer No. 49) in Brest, France, in 1918 after she had been rammed by USS Jarvis (Destroyer No. 38). From http://www.naval-history.net/ | Robert Hurst |
| 49k | As above. | Robert Hurst |
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409k | USS Benham (Destroyer No. 49) leaving Brest harbor, France, to take escort position, 22 October 1918. USS Lamson (Destroyer No. 18) is in the left center distance. Note the pattern camouflage worn by both destroyers.
Naval History & Heritage Command photo NH 56377 | Fred Weiss |
| 103k | USS Benham (Destroyer No. 49) seen from astern while in a European harbour, 1918. She is painted in pattern camouflage. The original photograph is printed on post card ("AZO") stock.
Naval History and Heritage Command photo NH 105870, donation of Dr. Mark Kulikowski, 2008 | Robert Hurst |
| 41k | Circa 1920, location unknown. | Robert Hurst |
| 164k | Circa 1920's, location unknown. Inscription says she is on fire but it's obvious she is actually "making smoke." | Alan Butler |
0504914 |
148k | USS Benham (DD-49) recovering a Ford auto with her anchor, circa 1920. Original photo was a RPPC postcard. | Dave Wright |
0504925 |
123k | Another view of the same incident, where the vehicle is described as a jitney bus. Would be interesting to know the story behind the photo! | Dave Wright |
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62k | USS Downes (DD-45), at left, and USS Benham (DD-49) moored at Norfolk Navy Yard, Portsmouth, Virginia, 05 March 1921.
Naval History & Heritage Command photo NH 104056, original photograph by Crosby, Portsmouth, Virginia. Donation of Portamouth Naval Shipyard Museum, 1970. | Robert Hurst |
| 82k | USS Benham (DD-49) "leaving port", off the Norfolk Navy Yard, Portsmouth, Virginia, 15 March 1921.
Naval History & Heritage Command photo NH 103745, panoramic photograph by Crosby, 324 First Street, Portsmouth, Virginia. Donation of the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard Museum, 1970. | Tony Cowart |
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100k | USS Benham (DD-49), with ship's officers and crew posed on her after deck, at the Norfolk Navy Yard, Portsmouth, Virginia, 12 March 1921.
Naval History & Heritage Command photo NH 104057, panoramic photograph by Crosby, 324 First Street, Portsmouth, Virginia. Donation of the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard Museum, 1970. | Robert Hurst |
