- USS Benewah (APB-35)
"Benewah" (APB-35) was laid down on
2 January 1945 by theBoston Navy Yard and launched on6 May 1945, sponsored by Miss Priscilla Underwood. She was commissioned on19 March 1946 withLieutenant Commander John M. Kilcullen, Jr., USNR, in command.Following outfitting, "Benewah" remained at Boston serving with the
Atlantic Reserve Fleet as abarracks ship for the crews ofaircraft carrier s going out of commission. That assignment lasted just four months. On29 July , she herself began deactivation procedures. "Benewah" was decommissioned on30 August 1946. The barracks ship remained in reserve at Boston until February of1947 when she was moved toGreen Cove Springs, Florida There, she was placed in service, in reserve, to serve as headquarters ship for Subgroup 3 of the Florida Group, Atlantic Reserve Fleet. On10 October 1951 , work began on "Benewah" in preparation for her return to active service; and she was recommissioned on9 November 1951 with Lieutenant Commander Clifford E. Baxter in command.Just after commissioning, the barracks ship entered the
Gibbs Shipyard atJacksonville, Florida for outfitting. From mid-January to mid-February1952 , she conducted shakedown and refresher training out ofNorfolk, Virginia . After she concluded training in mid-February, "Benewah" moved north to her new home port,Newport, Rhode Island . The ship departed Newport on9 March for her first overseas deployment. For the next nine months, she provided logistics support for mobile construction battalions operations in the European area. The ship returned to Newport on19 December and took up operations along the eastern seaboard. In July1953 , "Benewah" entered theNorfolk Naval Shipyard to be fitted out as a temporaryflagship . On22 August , she departed Norfolk forNaples, Italy , where she served as flagship for the Commander, Fleet Air, Eastern Atlantic and Mediterranean. Late in the summer of1955 , she concluded that assignment and headed back to theUnited States .The ship arrived in Norfolk on
11 September but, later in the month, moved north toNew York . On30 September , "Benewah" began her second deactivation overhaul atStaten Island, New York , in the yard of theBrewer Dry Dock Company . The barracks ship was decommissioned sometime in December 1955 and was berthed with theGreen Cove Springs Group , Atlantic Reserve Fleet. The ship remained inactive until August of1959 when she was placed in service, in reserve. By February of1960 , she was atNewport News, Virginia , serving as living quarters for the precommissioning crews of new ships being built by theNewport News Shipbuilding & Drydock Company . In July1966 , "Benewah" entered thePhiladelphia Naval Shipyard for conversion and modernization preparatory to her return to active service. She was recommissioned on28 January 1967 .Following a week of training at the
Naval Amphibious Base ,Little Creek, Virginia , the ship put to sea for the Far East. After stops at Rodman in theCanal Zone and atPearl Harbor , "Benewah" reachedVietnam on22 April . Upon arrival, she became flagship for the Commander, Task Force (TF) 117, theMobile Riverine Force operating in theMekong Delta . Except for an occasional trip toJapan for repairs, "Benewah" spent the next 44 months at various locations in the Mekong Delta. In addition to serving as headquarters, she provided barracks space, medical facilities, stores issue, and a myriad of other services to the sailors and soldiers operating with the Mobile Riverine Force and with the similar formations that succeeded that organization when it was disestablished late in August of1968 . The barracks ship frequently suffered enemy fire, and her guns went into action on numerous occasions. In May and early June of1970 , "Benewah" participated in the incursion intoCambodia n territory to support forces interdicting theViet Cong supply lines running through that country.On
26 November 1970, the ship departed Vietnam and headed for thePhilippines . After a visit toSingapore between28 November and5 December , she arrived atSubic Bay on11 December . There, "Benewah" underwent an inspection by a board of inspection and survey. That board determined that she was unfit for further active naval service. She was decommissioned there on26 February 1971 and was turned over to the Naval Station, Subic Bay, to serve asstation ship . Though decommissioned, "Benewah" remained on the active list in an in-service status. She was also redesignated a miscellaneous auxiliary, IX-311, two days after her decommissioning on28 February 1971. She served at Subic Bay until1 September 1973 on which day her name was struck from theNaval Vessel Register . In May1974 , she was transferred to theRepublic of the Philippines ."Benewah" earned 11
battle star s during the Vietnam conflict.ource
*DANFS|http://www.history.navy.mil/danfs/b5/benewah-i.htm
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