Benson-class destroyer

The Benson class was a class of 30 destroyers of the U.S. Navy built 1939–1943.

It was named after William Shepherd Benson, a graduate of the Naval Academy in 1877. He commanded the USS Albany (CL-23), USS Missouri (BB-11), USS Utah (BB-31), and the Philadelphia Navy Yard. Benson was appointed first Chief of Naval Operations in 1915 and then served as CNO until he retired 25 September 1919. He died in Washington, D.C., 20 May 1932.

The Benson class was designed as an improved version of the Sims class with two stacks and a new machinery arrangement that featured alternating boiler and engine rooms designed to give the ships a better chance at surviving torpedo damage. Their scantlings, or framing dimensions, were increased to carry the weight of the new machinery. This increased the ship's displacement by about sixty tons. The Benson-class destroyer was the backbone of the pre-war Neutrality Patrols and brought the action to the enemy by participating in every major campaign of the war.

Following class
The Gleaves-class destroyers were built to nearly the same design and were virtually identical to the Benson-class. The only visible difference between Benson and Gleaves was the shape of the stacks (the Bensons were flat-sided).

Losses
USS Laffey and USS Barton were lost at the Battle of Guadalcanal on 13 November 1942.; the USS Lansdale was lost in a battle in the Mediterranean Sea on 20 April 1944 and the bow section of USS Murphy was cut off in a collision with SS Bulkoil 75 miles (121 km) outside of New York, 21 October 1943 and sank. The rest of the ship was saved and was rebuilt and returned to service.

Decorations
USS Laffey received a Presidential Unit Citation for her role in the Battle of Guadalcanal. USS Bailey received a Navy Unit Commendation for her service in the Battle of the Komandorski Islands, 26 March 1943. Also, the USS Hilary P. Jones received a Navy Unit Commendation for her actions in the final operations in the Mediterranean Sea in September 1944.