John Ogden 9 BIGELOW
Princeton Cemetery; Princeton, Mercer County, NJ
Sources:
Bigelow Family Genealogy Vol II , p ;
Howe, Bigelow Family of America.
Biographical Cyclopedia of New Jersey (edited Samuel
F. Bigelow);
Cyclopedia of New Jersey, Edition 1916; by
early New Jersey marriages
Find a Grave
John went to Newark
Academy, in Livingston, New Jersey, where he was a member of
Student Council, Glee Club and the Gym team. He then went on to
Princeton University, graduating in 1942 with a degree in
Electrical Engineering. He was a member of their gymnastics team
too.
John Ogden Bigelow, Jr. (21, 01 November 1920 Newark, New Jersey),
a resident of 465 Highland Ave, Newark, Essex County, New Jersey,
signed up for his World War II Draft Registration Card (Serial No.
T-1142, Order No. 10263) on 16 February 1942 in Mercer, Essex
County, New Jersey. He was a student at Princeton University. John
listed his father, John Ogden Bigelow, as the person who would
alway know his address. He was described as 5' 10" in height, 160
lbs., with a light complexion, blue eyes and brown hair.
John O. Bigelow enlisted in the U.S. Navy. He was commissioned
Ensign (0-137948) on 20 June 1942. In 1943 he was assigned to the
escort carrier U.S.S. Suwannee (CVE-27).
On 12 October 1944, the U.S.S. Suwannee (CVE-27) departed Seeadler
Harbor, Manus Island, Admiralty Islands in company with TU
77.4.11, for Leyte Gulf, P.I. There they provided air support
missions for ground forces operating on Leyte, provided fighter
sweeps in the western Visayan Islands and northern Mindanao and
launched strikes against airfields in those regions. Anti-shipping
sweeps sunk several small AKs, numerous luggers and some PT boats.
Air Group Sixty shot down at least 24 enemy planes.
Philippine Sea – On 25 October 1944, at about 0804 the U.S.S.
Suwannee was struck by a Japanese kamikaze fighter plane ("Zeke")
that crashed just forward of the after elevator. It was carrying a
250-kilogram delayed action bomb which exploded between the flight
deck and hanger deck causing significant damage and many
casualties (69 killed, 82 wounded).
The next day, 26 October, at about 1240 the Suwannee was again hit
by a Japanese suicide plane. This one crashed into the forward
elevator and hit a TBF that had just landed, causing an
instantaneous explosion of both planes. A few minutes later a
second explosion rocked the ship and started a fire which resulted
in the burning and exploding of 7 VF and 2 VT which in turn caused
a "severe fire on the flight deck". Another 39 men were killed and
79 wounded. Source: USS Suwannee (CVE-27) Action Report 06
November 1944 – Leyte Operations
Lieutenant John Ogden Bigelow, USNR, was one of those killed in
action after the explosions and fires aboard the U.S.S. Suwannee
(CVE-27) from the Japanese kamikaze attack on 26 October 1944. He
was buried at sea. Virtually all of the men lost aboard the
Suwannee were buried at sea.
Lt. John Bigelow Killed in Action
NEWARK, Nov. 13 (AP) – Vice Chancellor John O. Bigelow and Mrs.
Bigelow, 564 Highland avenue, were notified yesterday by the Navy
Department that their 24-year-old son. Lt. John Ogen Bigelow, Jr.,
had been killed in action in the Pacific where he had served for
the past year on an aircraft carrier.
A native of Newark, Lt. Bigelow was graduated form Princeton
University in 1942.
Besides his parents, he leaves a brother, Marine Pfc. William S.
Bigelow in the Pacific area, and a sister, Miss Elizabeth Bigelow,
an ensign in the WAVES on duty at Washington. Source: The Central
New Jersey Home News (New Brunswick, New Jersey), Monday, 13
November 1944, page 1.
John is memorialized on the Tablets of the Missing - United States
Navy in the Manila American Cemetery.
He also has a cenotaph in Princeton Cemetery, Princeton, Mercer
County, New Jersey.
The John Ogden Bigelow, Jr. Memorial Prize in Electrical
Engineering - Awarded to a senior in the Department of Electrical
Engineering who has shown the greatest improvement since entering
Princeton.
rodbigelow@netzero.net 
