USS Ellet (DD-398) was a Benham-class destroyer in the United States Navy during World War II. She was named for five members of the Ellet family of Pennsylvania who rendered service during the American Civil War: Colonel Charles Ellet, Jr.; Brigadier General Alfred W. Ellet; Colonel Charles R. Ellet; Lieutenant Colonel John A. Ellet; and Edward C. Ellet. The first two officers commanded the United States Ram Fleet. History Ellet (DD-398) was launched 11 June 1938 by Federal Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company, Kearny, New Jersey; sponsored by Miss Elvira Daniel Cabell, granddaughter of Colonel Charles Ellet, Jr.; and commissioned 17 February 1939. In September and October 1939 Ellet operated off the Grand Banks on Neutrality Patrol, then with Destroyer Division 18 out of Galveston with the West Gulf Patrol. Based at San Diego, after 26 February 1940, she joined in Battle Force maneuvers as far as Hawaii. In the summer of 1941 her home port became Pearl Harbor and in October she brought home an Army survey expedition from Christmas Island to Honolulu. When the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor 7 December 1941, Ellet was returning from reinforcing Wake Island in the screen of TF 8 with which she remained throughout December. After a convoy escort voyage to the west coast, she guarded a troop convoy back to Christmas Island in February. In April she screened Carrier TF 16, which launched B-25's in the famous Halsey-Doolittle Raid on Tokyo and other Japanese cities and returned to Pearl Harbor the 25th. The same ships raced 5 days later to reinforce the carriers headed for the Battle of the Coral Sea. It was won before Ellet's force got there, so TF 16 returned to Pearl Harbor. TF 16 sailed from Pearl Harbor 28 May 1942 once more to join Task Force 17 (TF 17). Together they turned back the Japanese fleet in the Battle of Midway on 4, 5 and 6 June. The Japanese lost four carriers, many aircraft, and a number of irreplaceable aviators. Ellet returned to Pearl Harbor on 13 June to prepare for invading the Solomons, the first American land offensive of the war. Ellet arrived off Guadalcanal 7 August 1942 for pre-invasion bombardment, patrolled the transport area, and fought off air attacks. On 9 August she rescued 41 officers and 451 men from Quincy (CA-39) and 1 man from Astoria (CA-34), sunk in the Battle of Savo Island