The Story of Admiral Robert Edgar Braddy, Jr.
Robert Edgar Braddy, Jr., moved to Dublin at the age of nine in 1913. Braddy was a son of Robert E. and Neva Eudora Braddy. The Braddys lived on Maiden Lane in Dublin on the site of the First Baptist Church Life Center. After attending Dublin schools, he attended Gordon Military College and graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 1927.
In 1942 Lt. Commander Braddy commanded the U.S.S. Bernadou, an old four stacker tanker, which was built in 1918. “The Bernadou” was named for Commander John Baptiste Bernadou, a hero of the Spanish American War. The ship was originally designed to combat submarines in World War I. The ship was launched four days before the armistice. After it was commissioned in 1919, the “Bernadou” saw sporadic service in the Atlantic Ocean. In the fall of 1939, the “Bernadou” was re-commissioned and went assigned to the Atlantic Ocean on neutrality patrol. The ship had a maximum speed of 35 knots and was just a little longer than a football field. The usual complement of a crew was about one hundred fifty.
Before the United States declared war on Germany the “Bernadou” carried Marines to Iceland in July of 1941. For the next year the ship remained in the Newfoundland-Iceland convoy in the North Atlantic. The first missions of Braddy’s ship were anti-submarine patrols. On October 25, 1942 Braddy's ship, nicknamed the “Bouncing Bee”, was assigned to carry troops into French North Africa for an attack in November, 1942. Along with the “U.S.S. Cole,” the “Bernadou” was assigned to an attack group heading for the port of Safi, French Morroco. The mission of a destroyer was to provide close-in combat support for landing troops. It was a suicide mission. Braddy’s ship was designated as the lead ship to land the first wave of infantry troops on shore.
The “Bernadou” was a part of the Southern Attack Group of the Western Naval Task Force. On the night of November 7th and 8th the attack group moved away from the main convoy. The ships moved to a rendevous point to await the signal for an attack. Just before dawn the eagerly awaited attack signal came.
The “Bernadou” and the “Cole,” commanded by Lt. Cmdr. George G. Palmer of Charleston, South Carolina, steamed toward Safi.
At 3:30 a.m. the two ships moved out headed for the harbor. H-hour was set for 4 a.m. The ship was filled with troops. All of her smokestacks had been removed to disguise her identity. It rode low in the water and was difficult to identify with her mast down. Through unchartered waters, the two ships moved their shops toward the harbor entrance. Their passage went quietly at first with a scout boat in the lead. With companies of the 47th Infantry aboard, the “Bernadou” was challenged at 4:10 a.m.. A spot light from the hills above Safi spotted Braddy’s ship. A signal from shore was answered by the same signal. The light went out. The shore batteries opened fire with their French ‘75s. The two ships along with others to the rear opened fire on the batteries. The pre-dawn skies were lit up by brilliant streams of tracer bullets and the mouths of the big guns.
Braddy ordered the ship to proceed full steam ahead. At 4:28 a.m. the ship rounded the north end of the mole. Braddy took the “Bouncing Bee” through narrow and difficult approaches to the harbor mouth. The task became increasingly difficult when machine guns began firing from jetties. Lookouts on the bridge spotted a bell buoy at the mouth of the harbor. The ships continued under heavy cross fire. Braddy and Palmer guided their ships through a multitude of vessels anchored in the harbor. Braddy ran his ship at near full speed right into the shoreline, which was lined with rocks. This daring maneuver allowed all of the assault troops to land immediately and avoid small arms fire. Cmdr. Palmer guided his ship to a dock where he unloaded his men. The invaders swarmed the shore and reached their objectives. In the dash for the harbor, not a single life was lost. The resistance from the shore soon ceased to exist.
Braddy’s good fortune continued to hold. The beaching had been eased by an underwater sandbar. It was substantial enough to hold the ship in place while the assault forces unboarded, but was not enough to cause any fatal damage to the destroyer. The “Berndaou” and four other destroyers began providing escorts for tanks and troops for the assault on Casablanca on November 10th.
For his actions in guiding his ship safely into Safi under dangerous night conditions, Lt. Commander Braddy was given the Navy Cross and an award from the Belgian government. The Navy Cross is our nation’s second highest award for heroism in the United States Navy. Secretary of the Navy Knox cited the commanders for their actions “with gallant and resolute purpose, and at grave risk to his own life and the safety of his ship and men, they successfully countered all opposition in the accomplishment of a vital and strategic mission.” Vice Admiral Henry Hewitt, in command of the invasion, cited Braddy and Coles’ ships with a large measure of the success of the operation. Admiral Hewitt nominated the two ships to the Navy’s roll of distinguished ships. The entire crew was awarded a Presidential Unit Citation for their actions in the successful operation.
After the landing at Safi, the “Bernadou” returned to Boston where she remained on convoy duty until February of 1943. She made a convoy run to Gibraltar in March and in May departed for Algeria. In July, 1943 the ship took part in the occupation of Sicily. Two months later the “Bernadou” aided in the landings at Salerno. After two convoy trips to North Africa in the first half of 1944, the ship retired to the easy runs from the east coast of the United States to the Caribbean. The Bernadou arrived in the Philadelphia Naval Yard for decommissioning on July 17, 1945. On the last day of November, 1945, the grand old lady, who had served her country so well in earning five battle stars, was sold.
Commander Braddy was also a close and personal friend of deaf and blind American author, Helen Keller. His sister, Nella, wrote a book for Reader's Digest on Helen Keller, and her mentor, Anne Sullivan. Nella Braddy also earned national acclaim for her biography of the author, Rudyard Kipling. Robert Braddy retired as a Rear Admiral on October 1, 1951. Admiral Braddy died on August 14, 1965 and was buried in Arlington National Cemetery with full military honors.
Robert Edgar Braddy, Jr., moved to Dublin at the age of nine in 1913. Braddy was a son of Robert E. and Neva Eudora Braddy. The Braddys lived on Maiden Lane in Dublin on the site of the First Baptist Church Life Center. After attending Dublin schools, he attended Gordon Military College and graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 1927.
In 1942 Lt. Commander Braddy commanded the U.S.S. Bernadou, an old four stacker tanker, which was built in 1918. “The Bernadou” was named for Commander John Baptiste Bernadou, a hero of the Spanish American War. The ship was originally designed to combat submarines in World War I. The ship was launched four days before the armistice. After it was commissioned in 1919, the “Bernadou” saw sporadic service in the Atlantic Ocean. In the fall of 1939, the “Bernadou” was re-commissioned and went assigned to the Atlantic Ocean on neutrality patrol. The ship had a maximum speed of 35 knots and was just a little longer than a football field. The usual complement of a crew was about one hundred fifty.
Before the United States declared war on Germany the “Bernadou” carried Marines to Iceland in July of 1941. For the next year the ship remained in the Newfoundland-Iceland convoy in the North Atlantic. The first missions of Braddy’s ship were anti-submarine patrols. On October 25, 1942 Braddy's ship, nicknamed the “Bouncing Bee”, was assigned to carry troops into French North Africa for an attack in November, 1942. Along with the “U.S.S. Cole,” the “Bernadou” was assigned to an attack group heading for the port of Safi, French Morroco. The mission of a destroyer was to provide close-in combat support for landing troops. It was a suicide mission. Braddy’s ship was designated as the lead ship to land the first wave of infantry troops on shore.
The “Bernadou” was a part of the Southern Attack Group of the Western Naval Task Force. On the night of November 7th and 8th the attack group moved away from the main convoy. The ships moved to a rendevous point to await the signal for an attack. Just before dawn the eagerly awaited attack signal came.
The “Bernadou” and the “Cole,” commanded by Lt. Cmdr. George G. Palmer of Charleston, South Carolina, steamed toward Safi.
At 3:30 a.m. the two ships moved out headed for the harbor. H-hour was set for 4 a.m. The ship was filled with troops. All of her smokestacks had been removed to disguise her identity. It rode low in the water and was difficult to identify with her mast down. Through unchartered waters, the two ships moved their shops toward the harbor entrance. Their passage went quietly at first with a scout boat in the lead. With companies of the 47th Infantry aboard, the “Bernadou” was challenged at 4:10 a.m.. A spot light from the hills above Safi spotted Braddy’s ship. A signal from shore was answered by the same signal. The light went out. The shore batteries opened fire with their French ‘75s. The two ships along with others to the rear opened fire on the batteries. The pre-dawn skies were lit up by brilliant streams of tracer bullets and the mouths of the big guns.
Braddy’s good fortune continued to hold. The beaching had been eased by an underwater sandbar. It was substantial enough to hold the ship in place while the assault forces unboarded, but was not enough to cause any fatal damage to the destroyer. The “Berndaou” and four other destroyers began providing escorts for tanks and troops for the assault on Casablanca on November 10th.
For his actions in guiding his ship safely into Safi under dangerous night conditions, Lt. Commander Braddy was given the Navy Cross and an award from the Belgian government. The Navy Cross is our nation’s second highest award for heroism in the United States Navy. Secretary of the Navy Knox cited the commanders for their actions “with gallant and resolute purpose, and at grave risk to his own life and the safety of his ship and men, they successfully countered all opposition in the accomplishment of a vital and strategic mission.” Vice Admiral Henry Hewitt, in command of the invasion, cited Braddy and Coles’ ships with a large measure of the success of the operation. Admiral Hewitt nominated the two ships to the Navy’s roll of distinguished ships. The entire crew was awarded a Presidential Unit Citation for their actions in the successful operation.
After the landing at Safi, the “Bernadou” returned to Boston where she remained on convoy duty until February of 1943. She made a convoy run to Gibraltar in March and in May departed for Algeria. In July, 1943 the ship took part in the occupation of Sicily. Two months later the “Bernadou” aided in the landings at Salerno. After two convoy trips to North Africa in the first half of 1944, the ship retired to the easy runs from the east coast of the United States to the Caribbean. The Bernadou arrived in the Philadelphia Naval Yard for decommissioning on July 17, 1945. On the last day of November, 1945, the grand old lady, who had served her country so well in earning five battle stars, was sold.
Commander Braddy was also a close and personal friend of deaf and blind American author, Helen Keller. His sister, Nella, wrote a book for Reader's Digest on Helen Keller, and her mentor, Anne Sullivan. Nella Braddy also earned national acclaim for her biography of the author, Rudyard Kipling. Robert Braddy retired as a Rear Admiral on October 1, 1951. Admiral Braddy died on August 14, 1965 and was buried in Arlington National Cemetery with full military honors.
thank you for sharing the story of my Grandfather. (i never met him, i was born a few months after he passed away) he has left quite a legacy.
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