BENJAMIN-ELI

SURVIVED  KAMIKAZE  ATTACK

In 1943, when the carrier USS Intrepid (CV-11) was commissioned, the Navy was still segregated and almost all black sailors were assigned as steward’s mates or cooks.  During World War II combat some were assigned a secondary rode as anti-aircraft gunners.  An all black group of sailors was assigned to Gun Tub 10 and Steward’s Mate Second Class Eli Benjamin was one of this group.

On October 29, 1944, a Japanese kamikaze aircraft flew toward Intrepid, in the first such attack.  The sailors of Gun Tub 10 rushed to their battle stations for an effort to shoot down the aircraft and although they were successful in shooting off a portion of a wing and parts of the tail, it became obvious that the kamikaze was destined to strike Gun Tub 10.  Sailors manning nearby gun tubs abandoned their positions and fled the scene.  However, all the black sailors of Gun Tub 10 continued manning their posts and continued firing until the kamikaze crashed into their position.  The crash killed 10 and injured 10 others as flaming gasoline quickly engulfed the gun tub and nearby catwalks.

STM2 Benjamin received severe burn injuries but was one of the fortunate sailors to survive the attack.  Following the attack, survivors were told they would receive the Navy Cross for their valiant actions but instead received the Bronze Star, a lesser award.  In the following years survivors maintained that the group was promised the Navy Cross, which had also been published in the New York Times, and that the lesser award was made only due to race prejudice.  A survivor took their claims to court and through his persistence the Navy reversed their decision on January 15, 1993, and issued the Navy Cross to a group of the survivors.  Although some historical records report that STM2 Benjamin was one of the sailors awarded the Navy Cross, efforts to confirm this revealed no record that Benjamin's Bronze Star was officially upgraded or that the Navy Cross was presented to him for his actions on that date.

BRONZE  STAR  CITATION

The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Bronze Star Medal to Steward's Mate Second Class Eli Benjamin, United States Naval Reserve, for heroic achievement in connection with operations against the enemy while serving as a Petty Officer aboard the Aircraft Carrier USS INTREPID (CV-11), in action against enemy Japanese forces when his ship was attacked by a Japanese dive bomber from the starboard side of the ship in Philippine waters during the Battle of Leyte Gulf on 29 October 1944.  Trained and assigned to a gun tub on the port side of the INTREPID, Steward's Mate Second Class Benjamin was in position on 29 October 1944, when a Japanese dive bomber attacked the ship from starboard, aiming directly for Steward's Mate Second Class Benjamin's position.  Grabbing his 20-mm. anti-aircraft gun and pointing it across the flight deck, he immediately began firing.  He remained at his post and continued to shoot until the plane finally crashed, its wings shot off, into the gun tub, severely burning the him, injuring others and killing 10 of his fellow gun crew.  His conduct throughout was in keeping with the highest traditions of the Navy of the United States.

          

            GUN  TUB  10  SURVIVORS  -  1945  (BENJAMIN  BOTTOM  RIGHT)

Submitted by CDR Roy A. Mosteller, USNR (Ret)