This Military Service Page was created/owned by
Cheryl Baimbridge-Family
to remember
Baimbridge, Horace (Joe), LCDR USN(Ret).
If you knew or served with this Sailor and have additional information or photos to support this Page, please leave a message for the Page Administrator(s) HERE.
Contact Info
Home Town Morrow Bay
Last Address 10603 Raydell Drive Houston
Date of Passing Jan 02, 2009
Location of Interment Houston National Cemetery (VA) - Houston, Texas
- - - - - - - - - - -
On January 2nd, 2009, at 0845 CST, Joe Baimbridge slipped his lines to this mortal coil and set his course for that eternal harbor where he dropped his anchor for the last time.
- - - - - - - - - - -
The following is an obituary or legacy, as it is called in the Houston Chronicle, and I think I prefer that term better:
H. "Joe" Baimbridge
LCDR H. H. "JOE" BAIMBRIDGE Ret. passed away on Jan. 2, 2009 in Houston, TX. Born on Oct. 23, 1925 to Bill & Ruby in Warren, AR. Joe was preceded in death by parents; 3 brothers; first wife, Mattie & daughter, Stacy Busard & is survived by his loving wife Diana; daughters Cheryl Juarez, Melinda & Rebecca Baimbridge; sons, Wayne, Clay & Scott Baimbridge; 3 brothers; 3 sisters; 10 grandchildren; 7 great grandchildren. When his country called, Joe answered by joining the United States Navy, achieving the rank of Lt. Commander and serving in WWII, Korea and the Vietnam Wars. Visitation - Mon, Jan 5, 2009 from 6-8pm. Funeral Service - Tue Jan 6, 2009 10 am at Crowder in Webster & Burial - 1:15 pm at Houston National Cemetery.
- - - - - - - - - - -
His full name was Horace Haywood Baimbridge.� During his first assignment on a ship in the Navy someone called him "Joe" ... which was sort of like calling someone "Bud" or "Pal" back then, but the nickname stuck and thereafter it was how everyone knew him.
Joe also became known as Diver Joe or DJ on NTWS because the thread he was most active on had three Joes, and to identify each a modifier was added to their "Joe".
- - - - - - - - - - -
- - - - - - - - - - -
My intentions are to leave, intact, his words on this Profile, written by his own hand and in a style that represents his personality.�
It is a singular honor that I have been allowed to be the caretaker of his Profile.� For which I am deeply humble.
In checking over my comments with the pictures, I keep referring to my "Second Family". Maybe that needs to be explained. The day after my retirement, my wife of 25 years, announced that she was "divorcing me", because she "didn't want to be married anymore". Our divorce became final on November 1, 1971 (just one month after my retirement). In the spring of 1972, I started dating a college student who was 20 years younger than me. We were not going to get serious and certainly not going to have any children if we did. She was 27, I was 47. We were married on June 15, 1972 and our first of five children arrived on March 5, 1973. She is the one that I refer to as "My Deceased Daughter". My ex-wife, whom I had met at NAS Corpus Christi, Texas, where she worked at the 'Gedunk Stand". Passed away in April of 2003. That 'first child' of my 'second family' passed away in October of that same year. No, I'm not superstitious! Well...maybe...just a tad? Nah! My second wife, Diana, and I have now been married 35 years, and we had *five* children. Four of them still with us, the youngest turned 20 yesterday.
Best Moment None particularly. After two years of shore duty, I was a full Lieutenant, assigned back to the same ship and same job I had served in as an Ensign and LTJG. So, I served two more years doing the very same things I did previously. I had orders as OinC of the Underwater Swim School in Key West Florida, but they were cancelled so the Submarine Desk at BuPers could keep me. I also had orders as CO of a ServLant salvage ship, in San Juan, Puerto Rico, cancelled for the same reason. Neither of these were "Best Moments", but incidents that changed and shaped my future. Once in the Submarine Force, always in the submarine force. There are still submarine officers that knew me during my eight years in Hawaii, who will swear I'm lying when I say I am NOT a submariner. "Why are you lying about it Joe?". I don't know whether to take it as a complement or not. I think it *IS*. After completing my second two years, I walked across the pier to my final sea assignment as Executive Officer of USS GREENLET (ASR-10).
Worst Moment It was embarassing to me to be assigned to repeat my previou assignment (as an ENS and LTJG) as a full LT. It worked out just fine and as promised, I made LCDR (promoted actually the day I was detached from GREENLET). Because of the requirement that I was in a mandatory 30 year retirement status, I could not have made full CDR. Having made LCDR two years earlier than was considered "normal" at the time. I was in 'limbo'. I can't say that I was disappointed though, since I had long since attained my original goal of making Chief Boatswain's Mate before there was such a thing as BMCS OR BMCM (E-8 and E-9). I was adminstratively promoted to E-9, while stationed at the U. S. Naval School, Deep Sea Divers, in Washington, D.C. At the time, I had two service records...my enlisted record was kept up to date and my officer's record maintained. The promotion was entered in my enlisted record and note to that effect entered in my Officer's Service Record, and that was all that came of that. My reaction to that is: "Who gives a rat's ass?"
Chain of Command COMPACFLT, COMSUBPAC COMSUBRONFIVE
Other Memories Whew! Running up and down the coast off North and South Vietnam, Steaming over to Subic Bay for a little R & R now and then. Just doing my job...'lift that bar, tote that bale'. Har-har.
