Enlisted

Babcock, Gordon Wilson

Crewmember Status: Deceased

24/Jan/1925 – 01/Jan/2015

Fire Controllman Repair 3c, USNR

Crewmember photograph during WW II

Crewmember photograph during WW II

Crewmember photograph after WW II

Crewmember(s) having fun photograph


 


Enlisted:

Boot Camp:

Battle Station while aboard DD 803:

Discharged: ,

Newspaper Article #1:


 



Gordon Wilson Babcock passed away on the morning of January 1, 2015, just a short of his 90th birthday and is now with his Lord.

Gordon was born to Joseph and Esma Babcock on January 24, 1925 in Savage, Montana.

Gordon and his family moved to Tulare, California at an early age. He lived here until his family moved to Santa Rosa, California during his senior year of high school.

Completing high school early, Gordon enlisted into the Navy just shy of his 18th birthday. After basic training, Gordon was assigned to the USS Little, a destroyer escort with the rank of Fire Controlman, Rangefinder 3rd class.

While on the USS Little during World War II, the ship saw action during the Invasions of Iwo Jima and Okinawa. During the Invasion of Okinawa the USS Little was hit and sunk by Japanese Kamikaze planes. The crew had to abandon ship and swim until Allied Forces could rescue them. Six months later, the war was over and Gordon was discharged with honors.

After the war, Gordon returned to Tulare and to wife Peggy, who he had married while on survivors leave. They build a house and started a small dairy farm in Visalia, California. During their time on the farm they started their family. In the next twelve years they had four children, two girls and two boys.

In 1956 Gordon moved his family to Atascadero for a more stable income he was hired on at Caltrans and worked there for the next 25 years until he retired. While at Caltrans, Gordon worked in the Surveys and Construction units and worked on many major projects in the Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo and Monterey Counties.

Gordon married Evajo in 1969 and together they built their house on 14 acres of land and retired to it after completion. Gordon loved buying and raising cattle. He also cut and spit wood, bought and sold equipment and did just about anything that would keep him busy.

He is survived by his wife, Evajo, four children, twelve grandchildren, sixteen great grandchildren and two great great grandchildren. He is also survived by four stepchildren, three step grandchildren and one step great grandchild.

All of his family would like to thank Evajo for her love and care she has shown and given Gordon, especially during the last few years in his time of need.