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Ship's History
USS BRIDGET was built by the Puget Sound Bridge and Dredging
Company (now
the Lockheed Shipbuilding Co.) in Seattle, Washington.
The ship was named for Captain Francis Joseph Bridget. Captain
Bridget was
awarded the Navy Cross for his efforts in organizing defensive operations
against the invading Japanese
forces in the Marevelis Area of the Philippine
Islands in December 1941. Taken prisoner in this action, he was later awarded
posthumously
the Legion of Merit for his gallantry in caring for his fellow
prisoners aboard a Japanese prison ship which was sunk off
Olongapo, Luzon,
Philippine Islands on December 15, 1944.
Between her commissioning and 1968 USS BRIDGET made a
total of
seven deployments to the Western Pacific. During this time she participated
in numerous SEATO Exercises, and
patrolled the Tonkin Gulf and South
China Sea as a member of Antisubmarine Warfare Groups.
On September 28, 1968
BRIDGETT relieved the USS WHITEHURST
and permanently changed her homeport to Seattle, Washington. Since then
her primary
mission has been the training of Naval Reserve Personnel.
An integrated Reserve crew from the Seattle area has complemented
the
nucleus crew of active duty personnel, reporting aboard for duty one
weekend eachmonth and two weeks every summer.
Additionally, BRIDGET has
provided training for hundreds of Naval Reserve personnel from throughout
the Western United
States, on board for their two weeks of active duty
for training.
On 7 July 1971 BRIDGET became the flagship for
Commander, Destroyer
Squadron THIRTY SEVEN. During these past two years BRIDGET has made
two summer Reserve Training
cruises to San Francisco and Hawaii, participated
in several joint US-Canadian Antisubmarine Warfare Exercises, visited
the ports of Ketchikan, Alaska, Newport and Coos Bay, Oregon, Esquimau
and Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, and
Mazatlan, Mexico.
During these past few years BRIDGET has earned a lion's share of awards.
In 1969 and 1972 she
was awarded the Ney Memorial Award for ships of her
class in the Pacific Destroyer Force and in 1973 she placed third
in the
all-Navy competition for Small Mess Afloat. The Commander-in-Chief Pacific
Fleet awarded BRIDGET the Golden
Anchor Award in 1972 when she achieved one
of the highest personnel retention rates in the Pacific Fleet. Most recently
BRIDGET was awarded the A. Winfield Chapin Award for the Naval Reserve
Association for achieving the highest Reserve
personnel retention rate in
the Naval Reserve Force.
Operationally, BRIDGET has also earned
top honors. She proudly
displays Departmental Awards in Antisubmarine Warfare, Operations, and
Engineering.
Additionally, she has been Commander, Destroyer Squadron
THIRTY SEVEN'S nominee for the Battle Efficiency Award for
the past
two years.
On 10 September 1973 BRIDGET was relieved of all operational committments
by USS EPPERSON
and commenced Fleet Standdown in preparation for decommissioning.
BRIDGET leaves behind a proud
crew and a commendable record of accomplishments
Captain Francis Joseph Bridget, USN
Born in
Washington, D.C., 2 August 1897, Francis Joseph Bridget graduated from the Academy in 1921. He was designated a Naval Aviator
13 April 1929. He was serving on the staff of Commander, Patrol Wing 10, when the Japanese attacked the Philippines 8 December
1941.
Jan 23 1942
Japanese force lands on southwest coast of Bataan peninsula; local Army commander inserts
naval battalion of sailors and marines (Commander Francis J. Bridget) into the battle as a stopgap. It blocks enemy progress.
Motor torpedo boat PT-34 is damaged in action with Japanese armed launch while on patrol off Bataan Peninsula.
Jan 24 1942
Naval battalion (Commander Francis J. Bridget) drives Japanese troops back to Longoskawayan
and Quinauan Points on Bataan Peninsula.
Killed 12-15-44 when a Japanese prison ship in which
he was embarked was sunk off Olongapo,
Philippine Islands
Awarded Navy Cross and Legion of Merit
BRIDGET, Francis Joseph, Commander, USN. Wife, Mrs. Charlotte Ballow Bridget, 1655 Beach St.,
San Francisco.
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