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Robert Graham Bradley (26 September 1921 - 24 October 1944) was born in Washington DC and graduated the US Naval Academy on 19 June 1942 as part of the Class of 1943. He reported to the New York Shipbuilding Corporation at Camden NJ for the fitting out of USS Princeton (CVL-23). While serving in Princeton he received promotions to Lieutenant, as the ship took part in many operations ranging from the occupation of Baker Island (September 1943) to the Battle of Leyte Gulf (October 1944), in which the ship was lost.
On 24 October 1944, Princeton was operating of the coast of Luzon, in the Leyte Gulf, about 150 miles east of Manila, when a Japanese dive bomber attacked her, releasing a single bomb that penetrated the flight hanger and main decks and then exploded, touching off a conflagration that soon had the carrier's entire hanger deck ablaze. A series of explosions then rocked the ship. Lieutenant Bradley, Princeton's Ass't First Lieutenant, led a repair party in the effort to control the fires until the intense heat generated by those flames forced him and his men to fall back. After ensuring that no wounded men had been left behind during the abandonment, Bradley followed his men into the water at about 1005 and was picked up by the destroyer Morrison (DD-560).
Shortly after 1300, Bradley left Morrison and rejoined his ship. Unfortunately a submarine and air alert at 1330 drew off Birmingham (CL-62) and Morrison to assume screening positions, at a time when the fire was almost totally under control. The persistent blaze flared up. With renewed vigor Morrison and Birmingham attempted to renew their efforts alongside Princeton getting a line onboard the carrier at about 1515. Shortly thereafter, at 1523, the flames touched off a mass detonation of 100-pound bombs stowed aft in a torpedo magazine, and literally blew off the carrier's stern, killing Bradley and every man in the repair party that had been in the vicinity.
Bradley had repeatedly risked his life, entering the most dangerous areas below decks to ascertain the extent of damage and to fight the fires blazing onboard ship. Lieutenant Robert Graham Bradley was posthumously awarded the Navy Cross and FFG-49 is named in his honor. (drawing of R.G. Bradley from the ship's first cruise book) |
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3 August 1983: Bath ME - Edna D. Woodruff (Mother of Lt. Bradley), left, sponsor of the guided missile frigate Robert G. Bradley (FFG-49) and Sybil Godfrey Geiger, matron of honor, stand near the ship's bow during the launching ceremony. (US Navy photo DVID #DN-SC-86-05414 by Bath Iron Works Corp. from the Defense Visual Information Center) |
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3 August 1983: Bath ME - Edna D. Woodruff, sponsor of Robert G. Bradley christens the ship during its launching ceremony. (US Navy photo DVID #DN-SC-86-05415 by Bath Iron Works Corp. from the DVIC) |
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3 August 1983: Bath ME - A bow view of Robert G. Bradley sliding down the ways. (US Navy photo DVID #DN-SC-86-05417 by Bath Iron Works Corp. from the DVIC) |
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3 August 1983: Bath ME - A starboard bow view of Robert G. Bradley in the water after its launching. (US Navy photo DVID #DN-SC-86-05416 by Bath Iron Works Corp. from the DVIC) |
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30 July 1984: Bath ME - A starboard bow view (in fog) of Robert G. Bradley as its commissioning ceremony gets underway. (US Navy photo DVID #DN-SN-85-07033 by PH3 Joan Zopf from the DVIC) |
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30 July 1984: Bath ME - Commander Thomas I. Eubanks, prospective commanding officer of Robert G. Bradley, speaks during the ship's commissioning. (US Navy photo DVID #DN-SC-86-05422 by Bath Iron Works Corp. from the DVIC) |
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30 July 1984: Bath ME - Cdr Thomas I. Eubanks accepts command of Robert G. Bradley during the ship's commissioning. (US Navy photo DVID #DN-SC-86-05423 by Bath Iron Works Corp. from the DVIC) |
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11 August 1984: Portsmouth NH - A port bow view of Robert G. Bradley as its ceremonial commissioning gets underway at Portsmouth NH. The ship's crew stands in formation to the right. (US Navy photo DVID #DN-ST-85-06947 by PH3 Joan Zopf from the DVIC) |
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11 August 1984: Portsmouth NH - A Marine Corps color guard participates in the commissioning of Robert G. Bradley. (US Navy photo DVID #DN-ST-85-07022 by PH3 Joan Zopf from the DVIC) |
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11 August 1984: Portsmouth NH - Crewmen march along the pier prior to going aboard Robert G. Bradley during its commissioning ceremony. (US Navy photo DVID #DN-ST-85-07003 by PH3 Joan Zopf from the DVIC) |
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11 August 1984: Portsmouth NH - Mrs. Edna D. Woodruff, right, sponsor, sits with members of her family during the ceremonial commissioning ceremony for Robert G. Bradley. Mrs. Woodruff is the mother of the ship's namesake who was killed during World War II. (US Navy photo DVID #DN-ST-85-06950 by PH3 Joan Zopf from the DVIC) |
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11 August 1984: Portsmouth NH - An overall view of the commissioning ceremony for Robert G. Bradley. (US Navy photo DVID #DN-ST-85-07009 by PH3 Joan Zopf from the DVIC) |
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11 August 1984: Portsmouth NH - Mrs. Barbara Bradley Caves, the widow of Lt. Robert G. Bradley is welcomed aboard for the reception after the commissioning ceremony. Stepping off the brow behind her is the mayor of Portsmouth NH. |
Cap't John H. Lobdell, USN (Ret.)
USNA Class of 1943
Classmate of Lt. Robert G. Bradley |
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11 August 1984: Portsmouth NH - The cake being served at the Commissioning Ceremony reception. |
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Igancio F. Lopez
Spanish Navy (Ret.) |
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16 August 1984: Atlantic Ocean - Starboard bow view of Robert G. Bradley underway during sea trials. (US Navy photo DVID #DN-SC-84-10573 from the DVIC) |
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16 August 1984: Atlantic Ocean - Starboard bow view of Robert G. Bradley underway during sea trials. (US Navy photo DVID #DN-SC-84-10576 from the DVIC) |
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16 August 1984: Atlantic Ocean - Aerial port bow view of Robert G. Bradley underway during sea trials. (US Navy photo DVID #DN-SC-84-10578 from the DVIC) |
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16 August 1984: Atlantic Ocean - Starboard quarter view of Robert G. Bradley underway during sea trials. (US Navy photo DVID #DN-SC-84-10575 from the DVIC) |
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16 August 1984: Atlantic Ocean - Starboard quarter view of Robert G. Bradley underway during sea trials. (US Navy photo DVID #DN-SC-84-10577 from the DVIC) |
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20 August 1995: Chesapeake Bay VA - A starboard bow view of Robert G. Bradley entering the Hampton Roadstead following the passage of Hurricane Felix from the area. (US Navy photo DVID #DN-SC-95-02291 by Don S. Montgomery, from the DVIC) |
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June 1998: Halifax, Nova Scotia - taken during a port call. |
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June 1998: Halifax, Nova Scotia - taken during a port call. |
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3 November 2001: Atlantic Ocean - Robert G. Bradley arrives in Montevideo for the start of the Atlantic phase of the 42nd annual UNITAS exercise. The Brazilian Navy (Marinha do Brasil) Niteroi Class (FFGHM) Frigate Uniao (F-45) is moored to the left. The Atlantic Phase of UNITAS XLII, held 2-18 November 2001, is a series of complex naval exercises focused on promoting inter-operability and multi-national coalition in South America and the Caribbean Sea. (US Navy photo DVID #DN-SD-05-00558 by PH2 Aaron Peterson from the DVIC) |
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22 October 2003: South Atlantic Ocean - A BQM 74 remote-controlled drone is launched from the flight deck aboard the guided missile frigate USS Robert G. Bradley (FFG-49) to serve as a target for an anti-air warfare exercise conducted as part of UNITAS 45-04 Atlantic. The drone was launched and controlled by a detachment from Fleet Composite Squadron Six (VC-6) deployed aboard Bradley in support of the exercise. UNITAS provides the participant navies the opportunity to train together and develop interoperability in a highly technical environment. Hosted by Argentina, this year's Atlantic Phase also has the participation of naval forces from Brazil, Peru, Spain, Uruguay and the United States. (US Navy photo #031022-N-2779T-001 by PH2 Robert Taylor from the Navy Newstand) |
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26 May 2004: New York City NY - Crew members assigned to the Keeper-class coastal bouy tender Katherine Walker (WLM-552) render honors to the guided missile frigate USS Robert G. Bradley (FFG-49) at the beginning of Fleet Week in New York City. Over 4,000 Sailors, Marines and Coast Guardsmen on twelve ships are participating in this year's event held from 26 May to 2 June. (US Coast Guard photo #040526-C-5313L-080 by PO Mike Lutz from the Navy Newstand) |
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8 February 2007: the Pacific Ocean - The guided-missile frigate USS Robert G. Bradley (FFG-49) prepares for an underway replenishment with the fast fleet tanker RFA Wave Ruler (A390). Bradley is deployed under operational control of U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command as part of a Joint/Inter-Agency Task force conducting Counter Narcotics Trafficking operations in the Caribbean and Eastern Pacific. (US Navy photo #070208-N-3977J-001 by AW2 Julius Jones from the Navy Newstand) |
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12 March 2007: the Pacific Ocean - Cutlass 460, piloted by Lt.(jg) Peter Mallory and Lt. Matt Mariano, is guided into position by Aviation Warfare Systems Operator 2nd Class Julius Jones during a vertical replenishment (VERTREP) with guided missile frigate USS Robert G Bradley (FFG-49). Bradley is conducting counter narco-terrorism operations with the U.S. Coast Guard. (US Navy photo #070312-N-0037M-001 by Lt. Timothy Metcalf from the Navy Newstand) |
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5 April 2007: Mayport FL - Sailors attached to USS Robert G. Bradley (FFG-49) man the rails upon return from a six-month deployment. Bradley was independently deployed to the Southern Command Area of operations to conduct Counter-Narco Terrorism operations. During her deployment Bradley trained 22 Peruvian Naval Personnel on emergency procedures and ship control. Additionally, the ship conducted six port visits, participating in a variety of community relations' projects, and transited the Panama Canal four times. (US Navy photo #070405-N-1810F-048 by MC2 Lynn Friant from the Navy Newstand) |
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5 April 2007: Mayport FL - Sailors attached to USS Robert G. Bradley (FFG-49) man the rails upon return to Mayport, Fla., following a six-month deployment. Bradley was deployed to the U.S. Southern Command area of operations to conduct counter-narco terrorism operations. (US Navy photo #070405-N-1810F-067 by MC2 Lynn Friant from the Navy Newstand) |
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5 April 2007: Mayport FL - Crewmembers greet family after returning from a six-month deployment.
(top left) Executive Officer Lt. Cmdr. Peter R. Berning embraces his daughter on her 3rd birthday, which happened to coincide with the ship's homecoming.
(top right) Culinary Specialist 2nd Class Angel Melendez embraces his son.
(bottom) Gas Turbine System Technician (Mechanical) 1st Class Lee Mears attached to USS Robert G. Bradley (FFG-49), smiles for photos with his wife and his niece.
(US Navy photos #070405-N-1810F-141, #070405-N-1810F-200, #070405-N-1810F-152 by MC2 Lynn Friant from the Navy Newstand) |
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