Click On Image For Full Size Image	Size	Image Description		Contributed By
	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
	77k	Artist's conception of the Benham 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
	28k	Undated, location unknown.		John T. Sharpe
	45k	Undated, postcard of the Benham.		Joe Radigan
	70k	Undated, WWII in the Pacific Theater. The ship is painted in camouflage Measure 31, Design 2c.		Nicholas Camenares
	109k	Undated, location unkown.		Bill Gonyo
	97k	Undated, location unkown.		Richard Miller BMCS USNR RET.
	60k	Western Mediterranean May 1953.		Marc Piché
	104k	Photo #: NH 103756, USS Benham (DD-796) underway at sea, circa 1959. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the Naval Historical Center.		Tony Cowart
	79k	Circa 1959 on a deployment from the United Kingdom to Australia. Photo by Mark's grandfather. From Left to right: probably the USS Beale (DD-471), USS Massey (DD-778), USS Benham (DD-796), USS Murray (DD-576), USS Bache (DD-470) and USS Eaton (DD-510).		Mark Tylinski
	110k	View of BENHAM post-1950, in common distribution to the public in the 1960's.		John Chiquoine
	40k	Ship's patch.		Mike Smolinski
On Peruvian Service
	143k	The Peruvian destroyer Villar (ex-USS Benham, DD-796) launching a torpedo in this undated photo.		Bill Gonyo
	73k	Photo #: NH 87840, Villar (Peruvian Destroyer, formerly USS Benham, DD-796) ship's crew salutes the flag of Peru as the ship is placed in commission, probably on 15 December 1960, the day she was transferred from the U.S. Navy. Courtesy of Dr. Robert L. Scheina. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the Naval Historical Center.		Tony Cowart
	89k	Almirante Villar (D 76, ex-USS Benham, DD-796) underway, circa 1961, location unknown. Photo Peruvian Navy Offical. Photo from "Jane's Fighting Ships" 1961-62 edition.		Robert Hurst
	55k	Circa 1967, location unknown.		Robert Hurst
	81k	BAP Villar (71, ex-USS Benham) underway, circa 1971.		Robert Hurst / Dave Wright
	68k	Peruvian destroyers Villar (ex-USS Benham, DD-796) in the background with the Palacios (ex-HMS Diana) in the foreground. September 1973, location unknown.		Robert Hurst

CDR Erle Van Emburgh Dennett    Dec 20 1943 - May 12 1944

CDR Frederic Seward Keeler    May 12 1944 - Jun 3 1945

LCDR William Linsay Poindexter    Jun 3 1945 - Sep 1 1946

LCDR Arthur Frank Berry Jr.    Sep 1 1946 - Oct 18 1946

(Decommissioned Oct 18 1946 - Mar 24 1951)

CDR Allen Pearcy Cook Jr.    Mar 24 1951 - Aug 2 1952

CDR James Thompson Hodgson Jr.    Aug 2 1952 - Sep 9 1954

CDR Roderick Osgood Middleton    Sep 9 1954 - Jan 1956 (Later RADM)

CDR Thomas Eldredge Williamson Jr.    Jan 1956 - ?

CDR Robert Adam Seelinger    ? 1959 - ? 1959

CDR John Wesley Logan    ? 1959 - Jun 29 1960