World War II Honoree

Robert Gordon Bidwell

Branch of Service

U.S. Navy

Hometown

Boston, Massachusetts

Honored By

Robert G. Bidwell, Jr.

Relationship

Son

COMMANDER. A 1938 GRADUATE OF THE U.S. NAVAL ACADEMY, WAS SERVING ON COMMANDER IN CHIEF PACIFIC FLEET (CINCPAC) STAFF ON OAHU WHEN THE JAPANESE BOMBED PEARL HARBOR. HE HAD BEEN MARRIED IN HONOLULU THREE WEEKS EARLIER. HIS FATHER-IN-LAW WAS THE SUPPLY OFFICER ON THE USS ARIZONA AT THE TIME. WHILE HIS FAMILY AND HIS WIFE'S FAMILY SURVIVED THE ATTACK, MANY WEDDING PARTY MEMBERS AND GUESTS WERE KILLED. HE WAS EXECUTIVE OFFICER ON THE USS BALCH DD-363 AND THEN ON THE USS DREXLER DD-741 WHICH WAS SUNK ON MAY 28, 1945, BY TWO JAPANESE KAMIKAZES, KILLING 158 OF 258 MEN ON BOARD. HE SURVIVED AND WAS CREDITED WITH SAVING A CREW MEMBER BY KEEPING HIS HEAD ABOVE WATER WHILE THEY AWAITED RESCUE.