HARRY F. BAUER, LCDR, USN
Harry Bauer '27
Lucky Bag
From the 1927 Lucky Bag:
Harry Frederick Bauer
Chattanooga, Tennessee
"Harry"
BEING an army junior, Harry has lived in about as many climes as an honest white man has any right to. Born in Georgia, lived in the Philippines twice for luck, gave Kansas a treat for three or four years, took a whirl at Chattanooga, and then picked on us to finish his adolescence. In spite of all this wandering, however, he has the faculty of giving one the impression he is a model boy. In fact, he neither drinks, swears, nor chews, and is always turned in by ten P. M. If he has a single outstanding fault, it is his overconscientiousness, which is considered by many as a virtue. He is eager to do the right thing by everybody. He is generous enough to lend his last dollar, and kindly forgetful enough not to ask for its return. He doesn't hurt himself studying, but stands well in the class, because he is naturally savvy.
In spite of the fact that he is an old-fashioned boy, he gets away pretty big with women, to whom he pays little or no attention, having been, and probably remaining, a one woman man for many moons. Though one of the prime members of the bridge and poker clubs, we can see at a glance that he is one of those nearly extinct individuals who believe that life will return him measure for measure, and we would emphatically state that we believe he will attain success and happiness.
Rifle: B Squad (4, 3, 2) Class (4, 3, 1) Captain Class (3) Class Numerals (4, 3); Wrestling: Class (3), Small Bore Rifle: (2); Expert Rifleman (3).
Harry Frederick Bauer
Chattanooga, Tennessee
"Harry"
BEING an army junior, Harry has lived in about as many climes as an honest white man has any right to. Born in Georgia, lived in the Philippines twice for luck, gave Kansas a treat for three or four years, took a whirl at Chattanooga, and then picked on us to finish his adolescence. In spite of all this wandering, however, he has the faculty of giving one the impression he is a model boy. In fact, he neither drinks, swears, nor chews, and is always turned in by ten P. M. If he has a single outstanding fault, it is his overconscientiousness, which is considered by many as a virtue. He is eager to do the right thing by everybody. He is generous enough to lend his last dollar, and kindly forgetful enough not to ask for its return. He doesn't hurt himself studying, but stands well in the class, because he is naturally savvy.
In spite of the fact that he is an old-fashioned boy, he gets away pretty big with women, to whom he pays little or no attention, having been, and probably remaining, a one woman man for many moons. Though one of the prime members of the bridge and poker clubs, we can see at a glance that he is one of those nearly extinct individuals who believe that life will return him measure for measure, and we would emphatically state that we believe he will attain success and happiness.
Rifle: B Squad (4, 3, 2) Class (4, 3, 1) Captain Class (3) Class Numerals (4, 3); Wrestling: Class (3), Small Bore Rifle: (2); Expert Rifleman (3).
Loss
Harry was lost when USS Gregory (APD 3) was sunk near Guadalcanal by Japanese surface forces early in the morning of September 5, 1942. He was the commanding officer.
Other Information
From Find A Grave:
Harry Frederick Bauer (July 17, 1904 – September 5, 1942) was an naval officer in the United States Navy.
Born at Camp Thomas in Lytle, Georgia, Bauer, the son of a U. S. Army First Sergeant, graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 1927. During career he served at shore stations, including a tour as instructor at the US Naval Academy, and an Ensign assigned to duty aboard the USS Arkansas (BB-33). By 1931 Harry had been promoted to Lieutenant Junior Grade and continued his service on the Arkansas. During his service on the Arkansas, he was awarded a Letter of Commendation by the Secretary of the Navy.
He subsequently served on the USS Babbitt (DD-128) and on the USS Elliott. In June 1934 he was reassigned to the Naval Academy for post graduate work and as an instructor. On 1 January 1935, Jackie and Harry’s only child, Emilie, was born. In 1936 he was assigned as Aide and Flag Lieutenant to the Commander Cruisers, Scouting Force and from there he went to the USS Tracy (DD-214) as executive officer. (Note: In 1927, the United States Naval Academy did not award academic degrees to their graduates. Instead, they were commissioned in the Armed Forces as Officers. This was changed by an Act of Congress approved on 8 July 1937 and supplemented by the Navy with Bureau of Navigation Bulletin Number 251, 28 August 1937. Officers who were graduates of the Naval Academy were allowed to apply for the award of a Bachelor of Science degree. In 1937 while assigned to the Tracy, Harry applied for his degree and it was granted.) In February 1939 he was assigned to the Office of the Detail Officer at the Bureau of Navigation, Department of the Navy, Washington D.C. On 1 July 1941 he was promoted to Lieutenant Commander. He remained in Washington until he assumed command of the USS Gregory (APD 3) on 1 January 1942.
From researcher Kathy Franz:
Born in Georgia, Harry graduated from Chattanooga high school in 1922. He was editor-in-chief of the annual and cadet major of the R. O. T. C. battalion. Harry came in second for the handsomest boy and second for the most popular boy. Class Prophecy: My attention was then attracted by a couple in a box seat deliberating vociferously. They must have sensed that I was looking at them, for they turned around and I saw that it was HARRY and GLADYS. Pardon me! I meant to say COLONEL and MRS. BAUER.
Harry attended one year at the University of Chattanooga and was associate editor of the yearbook, was a cheerleader, and a member of Phi Delta Sigma. Harry was master councilor of the DeMolay society and gave a talk at the Laymen’s club of the First Presbyterian church in June, 1923. His appointment to the Naval Academy came through Congressman Joe Brown.
On May 21, 1929, Harry married his high school classmate Gladys Boyd. They had a daughter, Emile Geyer, nicknamed “Mimi.”
Harry was a member of the Central Presbyterian Church in Chattanooga. At its service on November 29, 1942, it dedicated a flag to the 47 men in the armed services with a gold star for Harry. Harry was also honored when the University of Chattanooga dedicated a service flag on December 7, 1942.
His father William was in the Army, mother Linda, brother Robert, and his sister Lois married Commander Edward M. Condra, Jr. (’27).
Harry has a memory marker in Arlington National Cemetery; his wife was listed as next of kin.
Photographs
From the Chattanooga Daily Times on October 1, 1942
From his high school yearbook
From the University of Chattanooga yearbook
Silver Star
From Hall of Valor:
The President of the United States of America takes pride in presenting the Silver Star (Posthumously) to Commander Harry Frederick Bauer (NSN: 061133), United States Navy, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity while serving as Commanding Officer of the U.S.S. GREGORY (APD-3) during action against enemy Japanese forces off Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands, on 4 September 1942. When hostile vessels moved in under the misty haze of night and bombarded our shore positions, Lieutenant Commander Bauer, although seriously handicapped by limitation of fire power and reduction of armament, unhesitatingly steamed forward to challenge the attacking foe. Suddenly spotlighted under a flood of illumination from two forces of Japanese destroyers, he fought his ship with courageous determination and grim defiance, well aware that she was unequipped to engage an outnumbering force in battle. Scoring several hits on the enemy while attempting to withdraw before a vigorous curtain of fire, he kept his guns blazing away until the GREGORY was eventually struck and set aflame. His brilliant leadership and relentless fighting spirit, maintained with utter disregard of personal safety, were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.
General Orders: Commander South Pacific Force and Area: Serial 0509 (March 26, 1943)
Service: Navy
Rank: Lieutenant Commander
Namesake
USS Harry F. Bauer (DD 738) was named for Harry; the ship was sponsored by his widow.
Related Articles
Gus Lofberg, Jr. '27 was in command of USS Little (APD 4), which was also lost in this action.
The "Register of Commissioned and Warrant Officers of the United States Navy and Marine Corps" was published annually from 1815 through at least the 1970s; it provided rank, command or station, and occasionally billet until the beginning of World War II when command/station was no longer included. Scanned copies were reviewed and data entered from the mid-1840s through 1922, when more-frequent Navy Directories were available.
The Navy Directory was a publication that provided information on the command, billet, and rank of every active and retired naval officer. Single editions have been found online from January 1915 and March 1918, and then from three to six editions per year from 1923 through 1940; the final edition is from April 1941.
The entries in both series of documents are sometimes cryptic and confusing. They are often inconsistent, even within an edition, with the name of commands; this is especially true for aviation squadrons in the 1920s and early 1930s.
Alumni listed at the same command may or may not have had significant interactions; they could have shared a stateroom or workspace, stood many hours of watch together… or, especially at the larger commands, they might not have known each other at all. The information provides the opportunity to draw connections that are otherwise invisible, though, and gives a fuller view of the professional experiences of these alumni in Memorial Hall.
January 1928
October 1929
January 1930
April 1930
October 1930
January 1931
April 1931
October 1931
January 1932
April 1932
October 1932
January 1933
April 1933
July 1933
October 1933
April 1934
July 1934
LCDR Albert Rooks '14
LCDR Charles Cecil '16
LT Paul Register '21
LT William Gray '21
LT George Brooke '21
LT Howard Healy '22
LT Edward Metcalfe '22
LT Eugene Elmore '22
1LT Charles Kail '23
LTjg William Graham, Jr. '25
October 1934
LCDR Albert Rooks '14
LCDR Charles Cecil '16
LT Paul Register '21
LT William Gray '21
LT George Brooke '21
LT John French '22
LT Howard Healy '22
LT Edward Metcalfe '22
LT Eugene Elmore '22
January 1935
LCDR Albert Rooks '14
LCDR Charles Cecil '16
LT Paul Register '21
LT William Gray '21
LT George Brooke '21
LT John French '22
LT Howard Healy '22
LT Edward Metcalfe '22
LT Eugene Elmore '22
April 1935
LCDR Albert Rooks '14
LCDR Charles Cecil '16
LT Paul Register '21
LT William Gray '21
LT George Brooke '21
LT John French '22
LT Howard Healy '22
LT Edward Metcalfe '22
LT Eugene Elmore '22
LTjg Heywood Edwards '26
October 1935
CDR Samuel Moore '13
LT William Gray '21
LT John French '22
LT Howard Healy '22
LT Edward Metcalfe '22
LT Eugene Elmore '22
LT Richard Gingras '25
LTjg Ralph Hickox '27
January 1936
CDR Samuel Moore '13
LT William Gray '21
LT John French '22
LT Howard Healy '22
LT Edward Metcalfe '22
LT Eugene Elmore '22
LT Richard Gingras '25
LTjg Ralph Hickox '27
April 1936
CDR Samuel Moore '13
LT William Gray '21
LT John French '22
LT Howard Healy '22
LT Edward Metcalfe '22
LT Eugene Elmore '22
LT Richard Gingras '25
LTjg Ralph Hickox '27
July 1936
January 1937
April 1937
September 1937
January 1939
October 1939
June 1940
November 1940
April 1941
The "category" links below lead to lists of related Honorees; use them to explore further the service and sacrifice of alumni in Memorial Hall.
