From: DICTIONARY OF AMERICAN NAVAL FIGHTING SHIPS, Vol. I, pp. 112-13.

Henry H. Bell was born in North Carolina in 1808 and appointed a Midshipman 4 August 1823. During the Civil War he served as Fleet-Captain of the West Gulf Blockading Squadron under Admiral Farragut. Promoted to Rear Admiral 25 July 1866, he was drowned when his barge capsized in Osaka Harbor, Japan, 11 January 1868.

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(DD-587: dp. 2050; l. 376'5"; b. 39'7"; dr. 17'9"; s. 35 k.; cpl. 329; a. 5 5", 10 21" TT.; cl. Fletcher)

The second Bell (DD-587) was launched 24 June 1942 by Charleston Navy Yard; sponsored by Mrs. Clea Cooke Hulse, great-grandniece of Admiral Bell; and commissioned 4 March 1943, Commander L. C. Peatross in command.

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Until November 1943 Bell operated on patrol and escort in the North Atlantic, making one voyage to Britain in August. She got underway for the Pacific 6 November and arrived at Pearl Harbor 27 November. Bell then Joined TF 58 for the Kavieng , New Ireland, strikes (25 December 1943, 1 and 4 January 1944); Kwajalein, Marshall Islands, invasion (29 January-2 February); Truk strike (17-18 February); Marianas raid (21-22 February), Carolines strike (30 March-1 April), Hollandia landings (21-24 Ap ril); Saipan invasion, (12-24 June); 1st Bonins raid (15 16 June); Battle of the Philippine Sea (19-20 June); 2nd Bonins raid (24 June); 3rd Bonins raid (3-4 July); Guam invasion (21 July); western Carolines raids (25-28 July), 4th Bonins raid (4-5 August ); Palau raids (6-8 September); Philippine Islands raids (9-24 September ); Okinawa raid (10 October ); and with TF 38 in the Formosa raids (12-17 October). Bell formed part of the escort of the crippled Houston (CL-81) and Canberra ( CA-70) from off Formosa to Ulithi (15-29 October). She then rejoined the 3rd Fleet for strikes against Luzon (5 November-16 December) and the invasion of Lingayen Gulf, Luzon (4-18 January 1945).

During the late evening of 31 January 1945 while in 13°20' N., 119°20' E., she joined O'Bannon (DD 450) and Ulvert M. Moore (DE-442) in sinking the Japanese submarine RO-115. Bell returned to Puget Sound Navy Yard for repairs, arri ving 27 February. She departed the west coast 22 April and arrived at Leyte 29 May. From there she steamed to the Brunei Bay (7-10 June) and Balikpapan, Borneo, (1-3 July) landings. Bell patrolled and escorted convoys in the Philippines until the e nd of the war and then served on occupation duty at Okinawa, China, and Korea until 14 December 1945 when she left for San Francisco, arriving 4 January 1946. Placed out of commission in reserve 14 June 1946, she joined the San Diego Group, Pacific Reserv e Fleet.

Bell received twelve battle stars for her participation in World War II.