NavSource Main Page FAQ Contact us Search NavSource

Waving US Flag

NavSource Naval History
Photographic History of the United States Navy
DESTROYER
ARCHIVE

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.

Click On Image
For Full Size Image
Size Image Description Contributed
By
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 98kUndated, location unknown.-
Bigelow 55kUndated, location unknown.-
Bigelow 57kUndated, location unknown.Joe Radigan
Bigelow 157kUndated, location unknown showing her Vulcan Phalanx CIWS mounted forward of her aft turret. Robert Hurst
Bigelow 81kUndated, on a visit to South Africa. Robert Hurst
Bigelow 160kUndated, location unknown.Wolfgang Hechler
Bigelow 199kUndated, location unknown.Wolfgang Hechler
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 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 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 189kFebruary 15 1973, 5" shells being highlined from USS Seattle (AOE-3). Photo by PHC C. L. Bassi, # 1155339.Ed Zajkowski
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 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 51k Ship's patchMike Smolinski

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 J. Porcari    Mar 1960 - 1961
CDR Edwin B. Flory    1961 - Jan 1963
CDR S. L. Gay    Jan 1963 - Sep 1965
CDR Lawrence Jeremiah Fay    Sep 1965 - Sep 1967
CDR Leon Eddy Ackart    Sep 1967 - Jul 1970
CDR Clement Davis Hamm Jr.    Jul 1970 - Aug 18 1973
CDR Ralph F. Doe    Aug 18 1973 - May 1975
CDR Raymond J. Art    May 1975 - Jun 15 1977
CDR Robert M. Wicklund    Jun 15 1977 - Jul 14 1979
CDR William Spencer Johnson IV    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 2008 (TBD)

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

Back To The Main Photo Index To The Destroyer Index Page


Comments and Suggestions about this page, E-mail DestroyerInfo
Problems and site related matters, E-mail Webmaster

This Page Is Created And Maintained By Fred Willshaw (ex DD692)
All Pages Copyright © 1996-2010 Paul R. Yarnall © 2010 NavSource Naval History. All Rights Reserved.