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USS BIGELOW (DD-942)


Flag Hoist/Radio Call Sign - NIYY

Tactical Voice Radio Call Sign (circa 1968) - DECIPHER

CLASS - FORREST SHERMAN As Built.
Displacement 4619 Tons (Full), Dimensions, 418' 6"(oa) x 44' 11" x 15' (Max)
Armament 3 x 5"/54 DP (3x1), 4 x 3"/50 (2x2), 2 Hedghog ASW Mortars,
4 x 21" tt.(4x1) 6 x 12.75" Mk 32 ASW TT (2x3).
Machinery, 70,000 SHP; Geared Turbines, 2 screws
Speed, 33 Knots, Range 4500 NM@ 20 Knots, Crew 324.
Operational and Building Data
Laid down by Bath Iron Works, Bath ME July 6 1955.
Launched February 2 1957 and commissioned November 8 1957.
Decommissioned November 5 1983.
Stricken June 1 1990.
Sold for scrap in 1993. Repossessed 10/01/96.
Fate Sunk on April 2 2003 as a target in SINKEX.

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Bigelow 97kMedal of Honor citation of Water Tender Second Class Elmer Charles Bigelow: "For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving on board the U.S.S. Fletcher during action against enemy Japanese forces off Corregidor Island in the Philippines, 14 February 1945. Standing topside when an enemy shell struck the Fletcher, BIGELOW, acting instantly as the deadly projectile exploded into fragments which penetrated the No. 1 gun magazine and set fire to several powder cases, picked up a pair of fire extinguishers and rushed below in a resolute attempt to quell the raging flames. Refusing to waste the precious time required to don rescue-breathing apparatus, he plunged through the blinding smoke billowing out of the magazine hatch and dropped into the blazing compartment. Despite the acrid, burning powder smoke which seared his lungs with every agonizing breath, he worked rapidly and with instinctive sureness and succeeded in quickly extinguishing the fires and in cooling the cases and bulkheads, thereby preventing further damage to the stricken ship. Although he succumbed to his injuries on the following day, BIGELOW, by his dauntless valor, unfaltering skill and prompt action in the critical emergency, had averted a magazine explosion which undoubtedly would have left his ship wallowing at the mercy of the furiously pounding Japanese guns on Corregidor, and his heroic spirit of self-sacrifice in the face of almost certain death enhanced and sustained the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service. He gallantly gave his life in the service of his country." Photo #: NH 77726. Water Tender Second Class Elmer Charles Bigelow, USNR, halftone reproduction of a photograph, published in "Medal of Honor, 1861-1945, The Navy", page 158. Water Tender Bigelow was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for heroism in combat action on board USS Fletcher (DD-445) during the Corregidor operation, 14 February 1945. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.Bill Gonyo
Bigelow 55kUndated, location unknown.-
Bigelow 57kUndated, location unknown.Joe Radigan
Bigelow 81kUndated, on a visit to South Africa. Robert Hurst
Bigelow 160kUndated, location unknown.Wolfgang Hechler
Bigelow 199kUndated, location unknown.Wolfgang Hechler
Bigelow 100kUndated, location unknown.Richard Miller BMCS USNR RET
Bigelow 157kUndated, location unknown.Richard Miller BMCS USNR RET
Bigelow 117kUSS Du Pont (DD-941) outboard & USS Bigelow (DD-942) at the fitting out pier of Bath Iron Works in 1957. On the building ways are (from right to left) Hull (DD-945), Edson (DD-946) and Somers (DD-947).Robert Hurst
Bigelow 73kUSS Bigelow (DD-942) underway circa 1959, location unknown. Photo R.M. Scott. Photo from "Jane's Fighting Ships" 1960-61 Edition.Robert Hurst
Bigelow 82kUSS Bigelow (DD-942) entering Valletta harbour, Malta, circa 1962. Photo A. & J. Pavia from the 1964-65 Edition of Jane's Fighting Ships.Robert Hurst
Bigelow 67kCheaspeake Bay, July 1964© Richard Leonhardt
Bigelow 57kUSS McCaffery (DD 860) starboard side to USS Bigelow (DD 942) at Kiel, Germany, 1964. Photo taken from Belgian Minesweeper G. Truffant (M 908). Belgian Navy photo.Joe Radigan
Bigelow 109kCirca March - July 1967 off Vietnam.Joe Richardson
Bigelow 100kCirca March - July 1967 off Vietnam, USS Okinawa (LPH 3) and USS Bigelow (DD-942) refueling from AO-62).Joe Richardson
Bigelow 82kIn Acapulco Harbor August 1967 on the way home from the Vietnam Deployment as viewed from the USS Allen M. Sumner (DD-692).Eric Bollin
Bigelow 184kJune 15 1972 off Florida. Photo by PH3 Thomas Faught, # 1154370.Ed Zajkowski
Bigelow 121kDuring Standing Naval Force Atlantic which took place between July 1972 and January 1973. It was taken from the HMS Amsterdam (Dutch navy) in the Bergen Fjord Norway.Jon van Schelt
Bigelow 189kFebruary 15 1973, 5" shells being highlined from USS Seattle (AOE-3). Photo by PHC C. L. Bassi, # 1155339.Ed Zajkowski
Bigelow 116kNovember 4, 1975. Eastern part of the Mediterranian Sea, Gulf of As-Sallum. The USS Bigelow passes by the Soviet Kashin class DDG Krasny Krim.Eugene Ivkin
Bigelow 157kCirca 1976 in the Mayport operating area showing her Vulcan Phalanx CIWS mounted forward of her aft turret.Robert Hurst/Jim Boyd
Bigelow   Bigfelow   Bigelow   Bigelow
Welcome Aboard pamphlet - circa 1977
Wolfgang Hechler
Bigelow 124kBaltimore, Maryland Aug 25, 1994: An aerial port side view of two Adams-class guided missile destroyers and one Forrest Sherman-class destroyer tied up at the Baltimore Fairfield Marine Terminal awaiting scrapping. The destroyer on the right unidentified. The inboard guided missile destroyer is the Lawrence (DDG-4) with the Claude V. Ricketts (DDG-5) outboard. The two Forrest Sherman Class destroyers are the USS Bigelow (DD-942) and USS Davis (DD-937).Gerd Matthes
Bigelow 314kAn aerial view of the Baltimore Fairfield Terminal area showing various former U.S. Navy destroyers awaiting the scrapper's torch. From bottom to top: the destroyers Blandy (DD-943) and Forrest Sherman (DD-931), the former U.S. Army N-3 type port repair ship Madison Jordon Manchester (ex USS Hydra (AK-82)), the guided missile destroyers USS Claude V. Ricketts (DDG-5) and USS Lawrence (DDG-4), the destroyer USS Davis (DD-937) and the bow of the USS Bigelow (DD-942), November 11 1994. Photo courtesy of the National Archives.Bill Gonyo
Bigelow 115kA series of 11 images from July 2002 at Philadelphia Naval Shipyard inside the Mark 29 radar room as items were removed for use in restoring the USS Joseph P. Kennedy, Jr. (DD-850).Ed Zajkowski
Bigelow 121kAs above.Ed Zajkowski
Bigelow 140kAs above.Ed Zajkowski
Bigelow 110kAs above.Ed Zajkowski
Bigelow 129kAs above.Ed Zajkowski
Bigelow 141kAs above.Ed Zajkowski
Bigelow 127kAs above.Ed Zajkowski
Bigelow 121kAs above.Ed Zajkowski
Bigelow 73kAs above.Ed Zajkowski
Bigelow 73kAs above.Ed Zajkowski
Bigelow 70kAs above.Ed Zajkowski
Bigelow 166kAs above except an image of the Fanfare unit on the fantail.Ed Zajkowski
Bigelow 93kPhiladelphia Naval Shipyard, August 31 2002.Roy J. Brooks
Bigelow 82kPhiladelphia Naval Shipyard, August 31 2002.Roy J. Brooks
Bigelow 11kScenes of the sinking of the Bigelow as a target, April 2 2003.Jim Wimberly
Bigelow 22kAs above.Jim Wimberly
Bigelow 27kAs above.Jim Wimberly
Bigelow 51kShip's patch.Mike Smolinski
Bigelow 100k-120kUniform Ship's name shoulder patch.Al Grazevich
Bigelow 43kShip's Zippo.Tommy Trampp
Bigelow 39kShip's Zippo.Tommy Trampp

USS BIGELOW DD-942 History
View This Vessels DANFS History Entry
(Located On The hazegray Web Site, This Is The Main Archive For The DANFS Online Project.)

Commanding Officers
Thanks to Wolfgang Hechler & Ron Reeves

CDR Audley Hill McCain    Nov 8 1957 - Dec 1958
CDR Roger Elmore Spreen    Dec 1958 - Mar 1960 (Later RADM)
CDR Thomas James Porcari    Mar 1960 - Dec 1961
CDR Edwin Brook Flory    Dec 1961 - Dec 1962
LT Joseph Albert Felt    Dec 1962 - Jan 1963 (Acting)
CDR Stanley Johnson Gay    Jan 1963 - Sep 1965
CDR Lawrence Jeremiah Fay    Sep 1965 - Sep 22 1967
CDR Donald William Simons    Sep 22 1967 - 1967
CDR Ronald Wayne Norman    1967 - 1969
CDR John Angle Dudley    1969 - Aug 6 1970
CDR Clement Davis Hamm Jr.    Aug 6 1970 - Dec 1971
CDR Ralph Farrington Doe    Dec 1971 - Aug 18 1973
CDR Leon Eddy Ackart    Aug 18 1973 - 1975
CDR Raymond John Art    May 1975 - Jun 15 1977
CDR Robert Montgomery Wicklund    Jun 15 1977 - Jul 14 1979
CDR William Spencer Johnson    Jul 14 1979 - Dec 1981
CDR John Michael Miller    Dec 1981 - Nov 5 1982

Crew Contact And Reunion Information

Contact Name: BRENDA AND FRANK CALANDRILLO
Address: 631 Blue Ridge Lane, Mahwah, NJ 07430-3420
Phone: 201-818-9668
Fax: 201-818-0904
E-mail: FRANKMCAL@AOL.COM
Next Reunion: October 10-13, 2010 at the Port-O-Call Hotel in Ocean City, NJ

Note About Contacts.

The contact listed, Was the contact at the time for this ship when located. If another person now is the contact, E-mail me and I will update this entry. These contacts are compiled from various sources over a long period of time and may or may not be correct. Every effort has been made to list the newest contact if more than one contact was found.


Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
Tin Can Sailors Website
Destroyer History Foundation
Destroyers Online Website
Official U.S.Navy Destroyer Website

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