Biddle (DLG 34) - Naval Cruise Book

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-dsx! - THE SI-IIP'S INSIGNE - USS BIDDLE's insigne is based on the BIDDLE family crest and incorporates a nautical motif within the circular fieldfl' he innner crest displays the demi-heraldic tiger with a ducal coronet about the neck. Within the shield are the hooked devices known as biddles . These symbolic forms are found in the BIDDLE family crest. Behind the shield stands the ancient trident of King Neptune signifying seapower. The four stars represent each of the four U.S. Navy ships to bear the name BIDDLE. USS BIDDLE CDLG-345 has also adopted the family motto: DEUS CL YPEUS ME US ---- GOD IS MY SHIELD

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the Delaware. days. the trouble quickly Violent storms dismasted his ship off the Delaware Capes, but BIDDLE's equally superb seamanship brought her into Charleston for repairs. He sailed again for the West Indies and on 4 September 1777, captured HMM TRUE BRITON along with her three-ship convoy. Captain BIDDLE took his four prizes back to Charleston, and was blockaded there until late in February 1778, when he successfully eluded the British patrol and escaped the open sea. On 7 March 1778, BIDDLE, in RANDOLPH, 32 guns, engaged HMS Yarmouth, 64 guns. Despite his firepower disadvantage and a severe wound received early in the action, Captain BIDDLE brilliantly directed the cannon fire of his ship. HMS YARMOUTH's Commanding Officer, Captain Nicholas Vincent, later reported that BIDDLE fired three accurate broadsides to YARMOUTH's one. Tragically however, fire penetrated the powder magazines of the outgunned RANDOLPH and the ship exploded and sank instantly. Captain Nicholas BIDDLE and his 315 man crew perished leaving only four survivors. Thus ended the brief but illustrious career of Captain Nicholas BIDDLE, Continental Navy. His life may have ended short of its twenth-eighth year, but the spirit lives on in this Nation, this Navy, and this ship which bears his name. CAPTAIN NICHULAS Bllllllf Captain Nicholas BIDDLE was born 10 September 1750 in Philadelphia. At the age of 13 he went to sea in the Merchant Service, and in 1772 entered the British Navy as a Mldshlpman As tension mounted between the colonies and the Crown BIDDLE resigned his commission and returned to Amerlca volunteering his services to his state of Pennsylvania On 1 August 1775 he became Commanding Officer of the armed galley FRANKLIN which had been fitted out by the Pennsylvania Co nmittee of Safety to defend In December 1775 with the rank of Captain BIDDLE took command of the 14 gun brig ANDREW DORIA and 3 ' subsequently joined the Fleet commanded by Esek Hopkins in the expedition against New Providence In th1s action BIDDLE captured numerous armed merchantmen Later in the spring of 1776, he seized two armed transports carrying 400 reinforcements for the British Army 1n North America a sizeable force in those - Later in 1777, Captain BIDDLE assumed command of the speedy Randolph, which was manned in part by paroled Br1t1sh prisoners of war. These prisoners mut1n1ed shortly after the ship sailed, but the superb leadership of the 27 year old Captain ended

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REAR AIIAllRAl EDWARD W. CARTER III cummmnma ufrlcfn 3 llIlY 1972 - 5 IIGUST 1974 Born in Winston Salem in 1928, Rear Admiral CARTER was raised in Asheville, North Carolina. He enlisted in the Navy in 1945 for two years prior to entering the U.S. Naval Academy from which he graduated in 1951. Captain and Mrs. Carter, the former Billie Jane Waltemeyer of Baltimore County, Maryland, have four children: Betsy, 203 Michael, 18, Patrick, 113 and Rebecca 8. Rear Admiral CARTER served on board USS SANBORN CAPA-1931, and USS LST 528 prior to training staff duty at the amphibious Warfare School, Little Creek. After serving as Gunnery Officer on USS R. K. HUNTINGTON QDD-7812, he studied at and received a Master of Science degree from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in June 1959. Following tours as Fire Control Officer on USS BOSTON CCAG-lj and as a student at the Naval War College, Newport, R.I., Rear Admiral CARTER reported to the Office of CNO in July 1962 as Assistant for Surface Missile Systems. He was assigned as Executive Officer of USS FARRAGUT CDLG-69 followed by two years in USS LONG BEACH CCG QNJ-95, as Weapons Officer. In July 1967 he reported as a student to USAF Air War College. Rear Admiral CARTER assumed command of USS TOWERS CDDG-95 in July 1968. In July 1970 he reported to Headquarters, Naval Ordnance Systems Command as Director, Weapons Systems Integration Division and he was assigned additional duty as the first Deputy Director of the Chief of Naval Material's Tactical Digital Systems Office. Rear Admiral CARTER assumed command of the USS BIDDLE CDLG-343 on 3 July 1972. Rear Admiral CARTER, who was promoted to Captain in July 1971 and designated a Naval Ordnance Engineer in May 1972, is decorated as follows: Legion of Merit with Gold Star in lieu of second award, Bronze Star Medal with Combat V, the Navy Commendation Medal with Combat V, The Combat Action Ribbon, the Republic of Vietnam Navy Distinguished Service Order fSecond Classj, the Navy Unit Commendation Award, two Meritorious Unit Citation tGallantry Crossl. Rear Admiral CARTER was frocked to his present rank on 5 August 1974.