Blue Jacket Legacy

Born into the greatest generation, Robert “Bob” Barrigan grew up with his mother, Jesse, and his father, Raul, in a family of Greek and Native American descent. They lived in a working-class immigrant suburb of Los Angeles, California, during Depression. Living in poverty without ever realizing what he lacked, Bob was sent to live with his grandparents at the age of ten. They were the cook and foreman of Miller’s 101 Ranch. There, Bob worked alongside Buffalo Bill, Annie Oakley, Geronimo, Will Rogers, and others.

At 17, his father encouraged him to sign up for the Coast Guard; only later, he discovered he’d been tricked into enlisting into the Navy. There, he discovered a talent for aviation mechanics and realized he was on his way toward achieving his childhood dream of flying.

In October 1941, Bob arrived in Pearl Harbor and enjoyed his first taste of a sailor’s life. Then on December 7, 1941, the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor, and he watched horrified as his friends died amid total chaos. Standing on top of a naval tower, he looked into the eyes of the enemy and experienced a defining moment that changed his life.

Read about his naval career and how he met illustrious characters including Arthur Godfrey, the Tuskegee airmen, and some memorable female Waves. He served in the Pacific Theater at Pearl Harbor, Wake Island, and the Battle of the Coral Sea. Later, he worked as an aviation mechanic on the Island of Espiritu Santo. Read about his time at Anacostia Naval Station, in Washington, D.C. where his talents for military aviation, radar, and electronics secured him a civil position with the Federal Aviation Agency following his military retirement. 

A photograph of him at Pearl Harbor is displayed in the Pearl Harbor Memorial and the Pensacola National Naval Museum.