Larry Finn was yeoman second class and a Bennett shipmate during her entire US Navy career.

USS Bennett, DD 473, a 2100-ton Fletcher-class destroyer, was launched 16 April 1942 at Boston Navy Yard and commissioned 9 February 1943 at Charlestown, MA by Mrs. Floyd Bennett, wife of pilot Floyd Bennett, who flew Adm. Byrd to the North Pole.
   Bennett’s first commanding officer was Cdr. Edmund B. Taylor, USN, former commanding officer of Duncan, which had been sunk in the Battle of Cape Esperance at Guadalcanal, October 1942. The Bennett crew was composed of members of the Duncan and O'Brien crews and a contingent of boots from Newport Naval Training Station. Bennett had shakedown cruise to Casco Bay, Maine and Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, where she rescued survivors of a sunken merchant ship.
   Bennett became member of Destroyer Squadron 45, Destroyer Division 89. In all operations Bennett operated with other members of DesRon 45, Capt. Ralph Earle, USN, commanding.

DesDiv 89 — Guest-Bennett-Fullam-Hudson-Halford
DesDiv 90 — Terry-Anthony-Wadsworth-Braine

   After shakedown, Bennett and Anthony escorted Essex, CV 9, from Norfolk to Pearl Harbor. At Pearl Harbor we operated with Washington, BB 56, practicing with the new 5-inch/38 VT fuse. In July ’43, Cdr. Taylor was relieved by Lt. Cdr. Philip F. Hauck, our exec. Lieut. R.R. Carter replaced Hauck as our exec. (continued)