West Freemason in Norfolk, Virginia — The American South (Mid-Atlantic)
USS Norfolk Bell
Photographed by Sandra Hughes, August 11, 2010
1. USS Norfolk Bell Marker
The second USS Norfolk, Destroyer Leader I, was a submarine "hunter-killer" ship and was the first major warship built after World War II. She was financed by proceeds from a war bond campaign by the City of Norfolk. her keel was laid at Camden, New Jersey on 1 September 1949. She was launched on 29 December 1951 and commissioned 4 March 1953. She was assigned to the Atlantic Fleet and later (1968) to the Commander Middle East Forces as a flagship. She was decommissioned on 15 January 1970 and scrapped in the early 1970s.
The bell from the USS Norfolk was displayed on the downtown waterfront esplanade until being put into storage in 1987. On 4 March 2003, exactly 50 years after the USS Norfolk was commissioned at the Philadelphia Navy Yard, the bell was unveiled in its current location with 25 of the ship's original crew members in attendance.
Erected by City of Norfolk.
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Military
this page online
Location. 36° 50.929′ N, 76° 17.67′ W. Marker is in Norfolk, Virginia. It is in West Freemason. It is on Bousch Street near Wisconsin Square, foot of Harbour St.. right side of Battle Ship Wisconsin at walking trail leading to the Chinese Pagodas, Restaurant and gardens. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Norfolk VA 23510, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in Virginia’s Hampton Roads, specifically in Coastal Virginia, and in the Hampton Roads Metropolitan Area. It is also in the American South, specifically in the Upper South, in the Tidewater, and on the Eastern Seaboard. Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region, North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture, one of the original Thirteen Colonies, one of the Confederate States of America, and the Antebellum South.
Other nearby markers. At least
Photographed by Sandra Hughes, August 11, 2010
2. USS Norfolk Bell Marker
Photographed by Evan Dwyer, June 7, 2026
3. USS Norfolk Bell
The face of the bell is engraved with Norfolk's name and the designation "EDL-1." The ship was originally given the hull number CLK-1, for Light Cruiser Hunter-Killer, but her designation was changed to DL-1 for "Destroyer Leader" during construction. Shortly after commissioning, an "E" was prefixed to DL-1 to indicate the ship's experimental nature as a trials ship. This bell would have been engraved at that time.
Photographed by Sandra Hughes, August 11, 2010
4. USS Norfolk Battle Ship
Norfolk welcomes USS Norfolk
Courtesy of Hampton Roads Naval Museum
Photographed by Sandra Hughes, August 11, 2010
5. USS Norfolk
Courtesy of Hampton Roads Naval Museum
Photographed by Brandon D Cross, January 18, 2022
6. USS Norfolk Bell Marker
Credits. This page was last revised on July 9, 2026. It was originally submitted on September 1, 2010, by Sandra Hughes Tidwell of Killen, Alabama, USA. This page has been viewed 1,148 times since then and 49 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on September 1, 2010, by Sandra Hughes Tidwell of Killen, Alabama, USA. 3. submitted on June 25, 2026, by Evan Dwyer of Richmond, Virginia. 4, 5. submitted on September 1, 2010, by Sandra Hughes Tidwell of Killen, Alabama, USA. 6. submitted on January 18, 2022, by Brandon D Cross of Flagler Beach, Florida. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.
