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| USN Fletcher-class destroyer 2,050 Tons 376' 6" x 39' 8" x 17' 9" 5 x 5" 38 cal guns 10 x 40mm AA guns 7 x 20mm guns 10 x 21" torpedoes 6 x depth charge projectors 2 x depth charge tracks |
Ship History Built by Boston Navy Yard in Boston, MA. Laid down December 10, 1941 as Fletcher-class destroyer. Launched April 16, 1942 as USS Bennett (DD-473) named for Naval aviator Floyd Bennett sponsored by Mrs. Floyd Bennett, his widow. Commissioned February 9, 1943. in the U.S. Navy (USN) with Commander Edmund B. Taylor in command. Wartime History On May 31, 1943 arrives at Pearl Harbor and spends the next two months patrolling off Hawaii. After escorting a convoy to Efaté, serves as a plane guard between August 27, 1943 until October 28, 1943. On November 4, 1943 moved to the Solomon Islands and conducted patrols and convoy escorts. On November 1, 1943 supports the landings at Cape Torokina on western Bougainville. On February 15, 1944 supports the landings on Green Island (Nissan). On February 18, 1944 conducts a shore bombardment of Kavieng. On February, 29, 1944 conducts a shore bombardment of Rabaul. On May 8, 1944 while patrolling off the Shortland Islands, Bennett was preparing to fire on a lookout tower on Poporang Island when puffs of smoke were observed and four shells straddled the destroyer. Afterwards, USS Montpelier (CL-57) attempted to silence the battery but a shell hit her anchor chain causing the anchor to drop into the sea and departed. Bennett then steamed north to participate in the June 14, 1944 invasion of Saipan until July 1, 1944. During August 2, 1944 until August 16, 1944 supports the U.S. landings on Guam August 2-16. Returning to the South Pacific later in the month she supported the invasion of Palau September 6–25 and then returned to San Francisco for repairs, arriving October 25. Returned to Pearl Harbor on December 24 and remained in Hawaii area for the next month. Then she steamed west to take part in the Iwo Jima landings from February 19 - March 5, 1945. Slightly damaged by a dud bomb on March 1 while in the area. On April 1, 1945 supports the U.S. invasion of Okinawa. On April 7, 1945 at 8:50am targeted by Japanese planes, hit by a Japanese kamikaze plane that damaged the forward engine room, and knocking out all electrical power. Aboard, three were killed and eighteen wounded. Bennett was able to make Kerama Retto under her own power and on the following day departed for Saipan under tow of USS Yuma (ATF-94). After emergency repairs, she steamed to Puget Sound Navy Yard where she underwent further repairs during May 1945 until August 1945 then departs for Adak. On August 28, 1945 departs Adak with weather personnel embarked on a run to Petropavlovsk on Kamchatka until September 26, 1945. Awards Bennett earned nine battle stars and a Navy Unit Commendation for her service in World War II. Postwar Returning to San Diego and placed in reserve commission on December 21, 1945. Decommissioned on April 18, 1946. On December 15, 1959 transferred to Brazil. Assigned to the Marinha do Brasil (Navy of Brazil) as a Pará-class destroyer named Paraíba (D28). Fate Sold for scrap in 1978. References Contribute
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