Elmer Charles Bigelow

He fought a magazine fire and saved his ship off Corregidor.

Elmer Charles Bigelow was a U.S. Naval Reserve sailor from Hebron, Illinois. Born on July 12, 1920, he enlisted in Chicago in September 1942, trained at Great Lakes, Illinois, and Lawrence, Kansas, and joined the destroyer USS Fletcher in June 1943. By February 1945, Fletcher was supporting the Allied operation against Japanese forces at Corregidor in Manila Bay.

On February 14, an enemy shell struck the destroyer. Fragments pierced the No. 1 gun magazine and ignited powder cases, creating the risk of a catastrophic explosion. Bigelow was topside when the shell hit. He immediately seized two fire extinguishers and went below into the smoke-filled, burning compartment. He chose to act without first putting on breathing apparatus, then fought the flames and cooled the ammunition cases and bulkheads. His actions extinguished the fire and prevented the damage from spreading. The citation states that he died from his injuries the next day.

For this self-sacrifice aboard Fletcher, Bigelow received the Medal of Honor posthumously. The Navy later named the destroyer USS Bigelow (DD-942) in his honor. His grave is at Linn-Hebron Cemetery in Illinois.

### Medal of Honor citation

“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 the 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 U.S. Naval Service. He gallantly gave his life in the service of his country.”

### Sources

- Naval History and Heritage Command, “Bigelow, Elmer Charles,” U.S. People. - Naval History and Heritage Command, “NH 77726 Water Tender Second Class Elmer Charles Bigelow, USNR.” - Congressional Medal of Honor Society, “Elmer Charles Bigelow,” World War II recipient record. - National Medal of Honor Museum, “Bigelow, Elmer Charles,” recipient profile.