USS Bennion, South Pacific W.W.II, 100 real photographs, mostly personnel on board.
1943 - 1946. Some real snap shot photographs plus 80 real photographs taken by a ship's photographer on board the USS Bennion, which won a Presidential Unit Citation for her actions off Okinawa during the Battle of Iwo Jima.
The citation to the ship was presented "For extraordinary heroism in action as a Fighter Direction ship on Radar Picket duty during the Okinawa Campaign, April 1, to June 1, 1945".
USS Bennion (DD-662) was a US Navy Fletcher-class destroyer launched in 1943. It served in the Pacific as a fighter director and radar picket ship, and supported operations at Leyte and Luzon in the liberation of the Philippines, and at Iwo Jima (February - March 1945). In July and August 1945 USS Bennion took part in Third Fleet Operations Against Japan. Bennion received her citation for actions off Okinawa (1 April-1 June 1945) as well as eight battle stars.
Photographs which identify personnel include the presentation of medals: the Bronze Star to the Bennion's Commander R. H. Holmes on May 17, 1945; presentation of Silver Star to T. C. Beale; and James Holloway III "who assisted sinking with torpedoes of Japanese battleship Yamashiro"); Vice Admiral H. W. Hill addressing the crew; Commodore Moosbrugger; Lt. Comd. Brokenshire
A group snap shot which identifies the personnel on the verso includes: Lt. Scott, Kollert, Mach. Flaherty, Ens Hulkill, Lt. McCool, Loomis, Morrison, Dabbs, Matlack, Cobb & Murray. A note on the verso explains the scorecard poster displayed behind the men: "Score card shows 16 Jap planes, 8 shore bombardments & 1 Jap battleship sunk by torpedoes in Battle of Surigao Strait. 13 planes since I've been aboard" (the reference to the sunk battleship refers to October 1944, when Bennion helped sink the Japanese battleship Yamashiro).
Many shots of life on board the ship. Some snap shots indicate the crew was segregated by role, with gunners mates and fire control men all white, while the steward mates are all African American. Numerous group photographs include: CPOs, cooks, radar men, radio men, 2nd Division, and the Bridge force.
Additional snap shots include the ship at Club Saipan (showing Admiral Whiting and a "nurse .. was the last one to leave Corregidor and got a lot of publicity"), Kuluk Bay Adak (Aleutians) in August 1945; Vanikoro Feb 1943 (snap shots of Officers Club, Solomon Islands. Interior and exterior views); numerous images of Ominato including Japanese service men and villagers (Ominato was a major navy base for the Imperial Japanese Navy in northern Honshu); and USO performers.
A total of 100 real photographs, mostly in postcard size format, 4 3/4 x 3 3/4", some 5 x 4". Very good condition. Item #24943
Price: $1,250.00