USS Widgeon Bell - Palm Springs Air Museum - Palm Springs, CA - Bells on Waymarking.com

USS WIDGEON ASR-1 ex. AM22

The USS Widgeon was built in Chester, PA in 1918. The Widgeon served in the Atlantic Fleet, working up and down the east coast through 1921. In 1923 the Widgeon was sent to Pearl Harbor were she operated in Hawaiian waters recovering practice mines and torpedoes and as training ship for fleet divers.

In 1926 the Widgeon was reclassified the ASR-1 in line with her duty as submarine rescue.

On December 7, 1941 the Widgeon was berthed as the submarine base at Pearl Harbor; and during the attack on Pearl Harbor, the Widgeon fired on Japanese aircraft.

On December 8, 1941 the Widgeon helped in rescue and with putting out fires.

On September 7, 1942 the Widgeon was sent to San Diego, CA arriving on Sept 18, 1942. The Widgeon worked with Salvage Joint Force 1 and supported operation "Crossroads", the atomic bomb test at Bikini Atoll.

On the 5th of February 1947 the USS Widgeon was decommissioned and sold to the Basalt Rock Co., of Napa, CA and scrapped.

*NOTE* I was told by volunteer staff that many planes and historical items often move around inside the hangers and outside on the tarmac, BUT they always stay within the museum, unless they are part of a visiting exhibition. Waymarkers should keep this in mind when searching for a particular waymark that I or someone else has posted on Waymarking.com. If, by chance, you cannot locate a particular waymark within the museum, please let me know and I'll contact the staff and inquire to its whereabouts. Thanks.

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