Can anyone please tell me was there a US warship called E C BENNETT or G C BENNETT during the last war. Am researching a US convoy from Francisco-Honolulu to Gladstone-Sydney in August 1943. I would be grateful to anyone for there help.
Re: Looking for US warship
Posted by Ron Carlson on November 21, 2011, 8:00 am, in reply to "Looking for US warship"
Tony,
There was a U.S. World War II destroyer named USS BENNETT (DD-473). She was named after Floyd Bennett, an early aviator and Arctic explorer, so would not have been referred to as "E C BENNETT" or "G C BENNETT." BENNETT was commissioned 9 February 1943 and served in the Pacific. According to the Dictionary of American Fighting Ships, "On 5 August [1943], she stood out to sea [from Hawaii] with three Army transports bound for Australia. The destroyer took leave of the transports at New Caledonia ..." (See http://www.history.navy.mil/danfs/b5/bennett-i.htm.) This seems like a fairly good match with your information.
Among merchant ships there was a FLOYD BENNETT, a JAMES GORDON BENNETT (therefore possibly referred to as J G BENNETT), and a RISDEN TYLER BENNETT, all Liberty ships.
Ron Carlson, Webmaster Armed Guard / Merchant Marine website www.armed-guard.com
Thank you Ron for your reply. This escort sounds like the one.I can only presume that the escort was American.What the E.C or G.C. is i do not know.Merchant ships in this convoy were REPUBLIC. ERNEST J HINES.and SEA PIKE. Other escorts were LARDNER and ANTHONY and the BENNETT.This convoy sailed on the 6th August 1943.Other escorts joined this convoy on or about the 25th August,they were GLADSTONE. GOULBURN and PC 476.Weather the US escorts left this convoy on the 25th i don't know.The convoy papers i have states that the three merchantmen were the only ones in the convoy.