1944 October 1944 10/3 Orders to escort U.S.S. Philadelphia to Golfe Juan, France. 10/4 Enroute Gulf of St. Tropaz. 10/10 Patrol off fire support area. 10/12 Investigated floating mine reported by aircraft. Unable to locate mine. 10/14 Entered Toulon Harbor. Benson relieved of duty in fire support area by Niblack and Plunkett. 10/15 Enroute to Oran, Algeria. 10/27 IN ACCORDANCE WITH COM SERV FOR LANT (SC) 1 tr. serial 39769 SC of SEPTEMBER 29, 1944 VAUGHAN, J.R. 706-01-83 QM 2/c USNR was transferred to ONOP (N4CSB) New York, NY. November 1944 11/1-11/5 Patrol duty off fire support area escorting U.S. minesweepers. Under fire from enemy shore batteries. 11/10 Relieved U.S.S. Forbin in fire support area off French Riviera coast. 11/11 Sighted mine on starboard quarter. Sunk mine. 1/12 Anchored Golfe Juan. 11/13 Crew called to Battle Stations in preparation for firing on enemy troop concentrations, barracks and possible command post. Heavy return fire. Withdrew under smoke screen. 11/14 Toulon for upkeep. 11/19 Proceeding to San Remo for purpose of blockading enemy merchant shipping. Fired upon by enemy shore battery, 3 near misses, no casualties. Proceeding to new patrol assignment 20 miles south of San Remo. 11/20 Began patrol south of San Remo. 11/21 Underway to fire support area. 11/22 Patrolling south of Cape Ferrat. Steaming on various courses at various speeds, firing at mines. 11/23 Toulon for upkeep. 11/25 Anchored Golfe de la Napoule. 11/28 Left Golfe de la Napoule to relieve Ludlow in firing area. 11/29 Patrolling in area of San Remo. December 1944 12/1 Patrol in fire support area. Fired on enemy supply route area. Heavy enemy return fire. 12/8 Enroute, Oran, Algeria. 12/9 Moored Mers-El-Kebir undergoing tender availability. 12/18 Enroute Toulon to join Flank Force. 12/22 Fired on gun emplacement, railway station and enemy supply buildings. Mission accomplished. Heavy return fire. 12/27 Proceeding to Leghorn, Italy with Woolsey to provide fire support for threatened German break-through on U.S. lines. 1945 January 1945 1/1-1/4 Leghorn, Italy. 1/4 Enroute Toulon for refueling. 1/9 Patrol off fire support era. Radar contact with enemy explosive boat. Attacked by enemy explosive boat. 1/10 Proceeded to Leghorn, Italy, operated in patrol area with Woolsey and Gleaves. 1/17 Proceeded to Golfe Juan and fire support area. 1/20 Enroute to Oran, Algeria. Moored Mers-El-Kebir. 1/24 Convoy formed escorted by Benson, Gleaves, Niblack and Woolsey. 1/25 Enroute New York. February 1945 2/5 Atlantic Highlands, Sandy Hook, NJ, unloaded ammo. 2/7-2/24 Brooklyn Navy Yard for overhaul. March 1945 3/1 Moored in Brooklyn. 3/9 Atlantic Highlands to pick up ammo. 3/12 Underway to Casco Bay, Maine. April 1945 4/3 Steaming in company with Niblack and Ludlow to Horeta, Azores. Battle stations, unidentified ship. Proved to be friendly fishing vessel. 4/9 Enroute to Plymouth, England. 4/12 Received word of President Roosevelt's death in Warm Springs, Georgia. 4/13 Drydocked at Plymouth for repairs to sonar equipment. 4/17 Escorting convoy to U.S. ports. 4/23 Fire reported in #1 handling room. All hands to battle stations. Fire cause by short circuit in power panel #1 gun. Caused by water entering gun from forecastle. 4/27 Brooklyn, drydocked. May 1945 5/4 Left New York, enroute Canal Zone. 5/7 Germany signed terms of unconditional surrender. 5/8 V/E Day (Victory in Europe). 5/11 Entered Gatun Locks of the Canal. Moored Balboa Harbor, C.Z. 5/21 Moored San Diego, California. 5/23 Enroute Pearl Harbor. 5/28 Sighted Oahu, Hawaii. 5/29 Moored Pearl Harbor where the Japanese attacked the Pacific Fleet 3-1/2 years ago. Ship reported to COMDESPAC for duty. June 1945 6/1-6/14 Gunnery, radar and navigation exercises. 6/15 Enroute to Leyte, Philippine Islands with Task Force to act as escort for U.S.S. Lexington, U.S.S. Cowpens and U.S.S. Hancock. 6/20 Acting as Screening Unit for Lexington, Cowpens and Hancock participating in bombardment of Wake Island. 6/26 Anchored San Pedro Bay, Leyte. July 1945 Proceeded to Fais Island, Ulithi Atoll, Western Carolina Islands to ascertain if any Japanese had returned. Escorted troop ships to Buckner Bay, Okinawa. Returned to Ulithi Atoll. August 1945 8/6 Atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima. 8/9 Atomic bomb dropped on Nagasaki. 8/14 Japan accepted Potsdam terms of unconditional surrender. Proceeded to rendezvous with TRANSRON 16 off Luzon for escort duty to Tokyo Bay, Japan, with first occupation troops. September 1945 9/2 In Tokyo Bay when peace terms were signed. 3 years, 8 months, 22 days after Japan bombed Pearl Harbor. Screening ships of TRANSRON 16 while landing occupation troops in Yokohama. Escort duty with U.S.S. Madison and Mayo to Leyte, P.I., and back to Yokohama escorting LST Flotilla 6. October 1945 Escort duty between Manila and Yokohama for LST Flotilla 6. November 1945 Yokohama for upkeep. Underway for Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. Detached from Pacific Fleet and proceeded to San Diego, California. December 1945 Underway for Navy Yard, Charleston, South Carolina for deactivation on 6th December 1945.
Return to the USS Benson Copyright 2000, James Vaughan, Richard Angelini |