James Woodrow Bigbee was killed on 1 November 10, 1942, when his plane crashed during a take-off at Kelly Field, Texas. Thus ended the military career of a promising young man—a scholar, a gentleman, and a true West Pointer in every sense of the word.

Jim arrived at West Point about a week late one warm July day in 1938, and had difficulty thereafter in timing his arrival in ranks with the assembly bugle. To Jim the words Duty, Honor, Country were all in capital letters. He did well what was required of him and expected those under him to do their jobs well. Recognition at the end of plebe year did not cause Jim's posture to change noticeably; he believed a West Pointer should continue to maintain a slight "brace" throughout plebe year and thereafter, and lived up to his convictions.

After nosing out the English Department in a photo finish or two, Jim had little trouble with academics. His keen, analytical mind kept him well up towards the top of his class, so that upon graduation on May 29, 1942, he received a commission in the Signal Corps. However, he chose to take flying training and only a few days after graduation reported to a primary flying school to begin to earn his wings. He was but a single month away from his coveted wings when the unfortunate accident occurred.

Jim's warm personality made him a host of friends in the Corps and wherever he went. He had that spark of kindness about him that attracted young children, as evidenced by his popularity as a Sunday School teacher at the Cadet Chapel. Opponents of the Army Debating Team learned to respect Jim’s intelligent approach to the varied questions debated, and the Tactical Department recognized his ability as a militarist by placing him high on the list of cadet lieutenants First Class Year.

Jim’s absence from our ranks leaves more than a blank file; it leaves the Class of 1942 without one of its foremost members. Gone are the laughs caused by Jim’s swishing into ranks one second before or after assembly; gone are the bull sessions, over a box of boodle, during which nobody could out argue Jim Bigbee; but still with us is the fond memory of a classmate who was never too busy to take an O. D. tour for a classmate on a weekend, who was never too much of a boy to forget he was a man—and above all, a gentleman from West Point.

Lt. James "Buddy" Woodrow Bigbee, Graduate of West Point in 1942. Was killed at Kelley Field, AFB, Texas in an airplane accident as the plane was about to take off it nosed over on a concrete runway and crashed. Son of John Chapman Sr. and Eunice Ethel McLaughlin-Bigbee, Grandson of Daniel Chapman Sr. and Sarah Eleanor Wines-Bigbee, and Great Grandson of John Chapman and Harriett Elizabeth Clark-Bigbee. Rev. John Rogers