In the Middle East, meanwhile, the specter of civil war loomed in Lebanon following a Moslem uprising in Beirut in early May. The government of President Camille Chamoun appealed to Britain and the United States for aid. Although wary of becoming involved in what was essentially a domestic dispute, President Eisenhower authorized the positioning of a rapid reaction force in the region. On 14 July, following a left-wing coup in Iraq, Eisenhower authorized intervention in Lebanon in an attempt to contain the spread of unrest. Some 10,000 marines began landing in Lebanon on the following day. As part of the American response to this crisis, Benham hurriedly deployed to the Mediterranean, sailing for southern Europe from Newport on 14 July. Over the next four months, the warship served in the Mediterranean, the Red Sea, and the Persian Gulf, supporting American troops as they helped restore order in Lebanon. After the last troops evacuated Beirut on 25 October, she sailed for home, arriving late in November and remaining in port for the rest of the 1958. During 1959, in addition to her normal training routine out of Newport, Benham conducted two major exercises, a carrier familiarization cruise off Mayport, Fla., that spring and an antisubmarine training voyage to the Caribbean that summer. Tapped for foreign transfer under the Military Assistance Program (MAP), the warship moved to the Boston Naval Shipyard in early 1960 for repairs and a substantial overhaul. Benham was Decommissioned at Boston on 30 June 1960. The destroyer was then Transferred to "Peru as a Loan under the Military Assistance Program (MAP) on 15 December 1960. On 15 January "1974, " Benham’s name was struck from the Naval Vessel Register, and she was SOLD" to the Government of "PERU" that "SAME DAY" BAP Villar (DD-71) The ship served in the Peruvian Navy as BAP Villar (DD-71) until Scrapped" in "1980." Awards Benham (DD-796) earned Eight battle Stars for World War II service.
Posted on: Tue, 16 Jul 2013 13:01:42 +0000
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