Photographic History of the United States Navy
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NavSource Naval History Photographic History of the United States Navy |
DESTROYER ARCHIVE |
To Taiwan February 25 1954, Renamed Lo Yang.| Click On Image For Full Size Image |
Size | Image Description | Contributed By |
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|---|---|---|---|---|
| 100k | William Shepherd Benson was born in Macon, Georgia, on 25 September 1855. Completion of his U.S. Naval Academy studies in 1877 was followed by years of sea duty, including a cruise around the World in USS Dolphin during the 1880s. He was also active in coast survey and hydrographic duties, was an instructor at the Naval Academy, commanded the cruiser USS Albany and served as a flag aide and fleet chief of staff, in addition to other assignments. In 1911, Captain Benson became the first Commanding Officer of the battleship USS Utah (BB-31). He was Commandant of the Philadelphia Navy Yard in 1913-15, and from there was ordered to Washington, D.C., where he was promoted to the rank of Rear Admiral and became the Navy's first Chief of Naval Operations (CNO). Benson was heavily involved in defining the functions of the new CNO position and strengthing the Navy during a period marked by internal Navy Department tensions, U.S. interventions in the Caribbean and Central America, and the European war crisis. Promoted to the rank of Admiral in 1916, his responsibilities greatly expanded when the United States entered the First World War in April 1917. Over the next year and a half, he oversaw a huge expansion of the Navy, the extension of its operations to European waters and the transportation of the United States' Army to France. After the November 1918 Armistice, he was an active participant in the lengthy peace negotiations held in France. Admiral Benson retired from the Naval service in September 1919. Over the next decade, he was active in the leadership of the U.S. Shipping Board. Admiral William S. Benson died in Washington, D.C. on 20 May 1932. Photo #: NH 58904. Admiral William S. Benson, USN, Chief of Naval Operations, portrait photograph, in Special Full Dress uniform, circa 1916-1919. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph. | Bill Gonyo | |
| 82k | Artist's conception of the Benson as she appeared in World War II by the renowned graphic illustrator John Barrett with the text written by naval author and historian Robert F. Sumrall. Their company Navy Yard Associates offers prints of most destroyers, destroyer escorts, submarines and aircraft carriers in various configurations during the ship's lifetime. The prints can be customized with ship's patches, your photograph, your bio, etc. If you decide to purchase artwork from them please indicate that you heard about their work from NavSource. | Navy Yard Associates | |
| 118k | Undated, location unknown. The ship is painted in camouflage Measure 32, Design 3d. | - | |
| 50k | Undated, location unknown. | Cal Emerson | |
| 113k | Undated, location unknown. | Robert Hurst/Mike Green | |
| 80k | A painting depicting the USS Benson (DD-421) in action during WWII. | Bill Gonyo | |
| 183k | Undated, location unknown. | Ed Zajkowski | |
| 93k | Undated, location unknown. | Robert Hurst | |
| 117k | Undated, location unknown. | Richard Miller BMCS USNR RET. | |
 First image is 1948, the next two are undated, location probably Charleston. | Mike Mohl | |||
| 83k | Circa 1940, location unknown. | David Buell | |
| 193k | Boston Navy Yard, June 27 1941. | David Buell | |
| 167k | USS Benson (DD-421) underway off Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia, 13 April 1942. Source: Naval History and Heritage Command, Photo No. NH 63527. | Mike Green | |
| 212k | USS Benson (DD-421) overhead stern view taken 10 May 1943. Source: Naval History and Heritage Command, Photo No. NH 80562. | Mike Green | |
| 195k | USS Benson (DD-421) underway at sea, circa 1944. She is painted in Camouflage Measure 32, Design 3D. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the Naval History and Heritage Command. Photo #: NH 107274. | Robert Hurst | |
| 44k | Passing under the Cooper River bridge at Charleston S.C. December 1945. | Robert Moran/Thomas J DiGiovanna Rdrm 1st Class | |
| 173k | At War's end headed home. | David Buell | |
| 121k | In the Reserve Fleet circa 1948. | David Buell | |
| On Taiwanese Service |
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| 54k | Undated, location unknown. | Robert Hurst | |
| 137k | Undated, location unknown. Probably taken when during the turnover to Taiwan. | Perry Huang | |
CDR Clifford Ashton Fines Jul 25 1940 - Sep 5 1941 (Later RADM) LT Knight Pryor Sep 5 1941 - Sep 10 1941 (Acting) CDR Clifford Ashton Fines Sep 10 1941 - Feb 1 1943 (Later RADM) LCDR Ronald Joseph Woodaman Feb 1 1943 - Feb 28 1944 LT Thomas Milton Foster Feb 28 1944 - Mar 14 1944 (Acting) CDR Jack Bercaw Williams Mar 14 1944 - Sep 1 1944 LCDR Edwin Elmer Lord III Sep 1 1944 - Mar 18 1946
The contact listed, Was the contact at the time for this ship when located. If another person now is the contact, E-mail me and I will update this entry. These contacts are compiled from various sources over a long period of time and may or may not be correct. Every effort has been made to list the newest contact if more than one contact was found.
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