WALTER C. BAILEY, LT, USN
Walter Bailey '31
Lucky Bag
From the 1931 Lucky Bag:
Walter Clyde Bailey
San Diego, California
"Walt" "Clyde"
Having California sunshine was such a habit with Walt, that when he heard the call of the sea he brought a lot of it to Crabtown for others to enjoy. Being from a Navy town, it wasn't long before he became a real "Navy Man" and woe betide him who would discuss the shortcomings of our grand old Service.
He started Plebe Year as a freebooter, but soon found his place as a man-mauler, pickin' 'em up and layin' 'em down with the best of the brutes.
In the old Navy game of caulking he far out-shines any would-be competition. In fact, it is claimed that on Youngster Cruise he was blind for three days from sunburned eyeballs, after caulking with his eyes open.
As a wife he approaches the ideal. He has a supply of knowledge that would shame Webster, a supply of skags that would please a watch squad—and as a friend and shipmate no one could ask for a better.
Class Wrestling 4, 3, 2; Class Rifle 3
Walter Clyde Bailey
San Diego, California
"Walt" "Clyde"
Having California sunshine was such a habit with Walt, that when he heard the call of the sea he brought a lot of it to Crabtown for others to enjoy. Being from a Navy town, it wasn't long before he became a real "Navy Man" and woe betide him who would discuss the shortcomings of our grand old Service.
He started Plebe Year as a freebooter, but soon found his place as a man-mauler, pickin' 'em up and layin' 'em down with the best of the brutes.
In the old Navy game of caulking he far out-shines any would-be competition. In fact, it is claimed that on Youngster Cruise he was blind for three days from sunburned eyeballs, after caulking with his eyes open.
As a wife he approaches the ideal. He has a supply of knowledge that would shame Webster, a supply of skags that would please a watch squad—and as a friend and shipmate no one could ask for a better.
Class Wrestling 4, 3, 2; Class Rifle 3
Loss
The inscription on his memorial marker in Connecticut, from Find A Grave:
Walter Clyde Bailey
Lieutenant US NavyBorn Brooklyn, N.Y. February 27, 1909
Died February 28, 1942GUNNERY OFFICER ABOARD U.S.S. LANGLEY WHILE ON THE BRIDGE OF THE SHIP WHILE DIRECTING THE FIRE OF HER GUNS, IN AN ACTION AGAINST THE ENEMY SOUTH OF JAVA FEBRUARY 27, 1942, HE WAS MORTALLY WOUNDED. HE DIED THE FOLLOWING DAY AND WAS BURIED AT SEA.
The burial at sea was from USS Edsall, one of the ships that rescued survivors from the sunken Langley.
Other Information
From researcher Kathy Franz:
His father purchased a Chevrolet touring car in September, 1922. The family lived at 3785 Park Boulevard, San Diego. His father died in San Diego on February 1, 1925. Shortly thereafter, his sister Hazel married Henry Clarence Cook. Their first child Barbara was born on June 23, 1926. They lived in Bakersfield in 1930. Walters’s mother Alva and brother John went back to Brooklyn. John was doing clerical work in a bank in 1930.
He met his wife Elizabeth Avery while attending the Naval Submarine School in New London, CT. They were married in 1933.
His wife was listed as next of kin. He was also survived by a two year old son, Christopher Avery Bailey.
Walter was promoted to Lieutenant Junior grade on June 4, 1934 and Lieutenant on July 1, 1939. His qualifications included submarine command, torpedo, and naval engineering (operations).
Biography
From Find A Grave by CDR Gerry Lawton, USN (Ret.):
Walter was born in Brooklyn, Kings, NY on 27 Feb 1909 to Clyde John and Alva Anna (Anderson) Bailey. Clyde was born in Michigan and Alva was born in Sweden. They married in Brooklyn, NY on 27 Sep 1905. Prior to their marriage Clyde was an ordinary seaman on board the USS Glasnis in Manila, Philippines at the time of the 1900 US census. By 1905, Clyde had returned to Brooklyn, NY. Two of his children, Hazel Dorothy and Walter Clyde were born there. By 1910, the Bailey family had moved to Newport, RI. It isn't known if Clyde was serving in the navy, but he was a stenographer on board a ship according to the 1910 US census. Walter's brother, John Gustav, was born in Newport, RI in early 1911.
The Bailey family traveled to Cristobal, Canal Zone where Clyde enlisted (The record isn't clear if it was a reenlistment.) in the US Navy (NSN: 110-11-19) on board the USS Severn (previously named USS Chesapeake) as a Chief Yeoman. Chief Bailey (and family) returned to Brooklyn on board the S.S. ADVANCE that sailed from Cristobal, C.Z. on 2 Mar 1916 and arrived at the Port of NY on 09 Mar 1916. Chief Bailey was assigned to the Receiving Ship there on 6 Apr 1917 serving until 23 Oct 1918 when he was assigned to the Brooklyn Navy Yard until 11 Nov 1918.
Chief Bailey contracted Tuberculosis while on active duty. The Navy transferred him to the Naval Hospital, Ft. Lyon, Bent, CO. Beginning in 1906, the US Navy used Ft Lyon, located in Las Animas, Bent, CO, as a treatment facility for sailors and marines with tuberculosis. According to the 1920 US census of 01 Jan 1920, Clyde J Baily (sic), US Navy, was a patient and his family, Mrs Alva A Bailey and her three children, Hazel D., Walter C., and John J. Bailey, were residents of Bent county, CO.
Chief Bailey was transferred to retirement in the Fleet Naval Reserve class 1-B on 26 Feb 1920 as a Chief Yeoman at the Naval Hospital, Ft Lyon, Colorado. Date of discharge 26 Feb 1920. I believe he may have died on that date.
After Chief Bailey's death, Mrs Bailey and her three children moved to Bakersfield, Kern, CA where the children attended public schools. After his graduation from high school, Walter qualified for an At Large appointment to the US Naval Academy in Annapolis, MD. He entered the Naval Academy on 30 Jun 1927. While at the Academy, he was know as Walt or Clyde by his fellow midshipmen. …
On 4 Jun 1931, Walter graduated with a bachelors degree standing 229th out of a class of 441. He also took the oath of office and accepted an appointment as an Ensign of the Line, US Navy. After a short leave after graduation, Ensign Bailey reported for his required sea duty tour on 11 July 1931 to the aircraft carrier, USS Lexington (CV-2) for duty. During the next eight years, Ensign Bailey served on board the Lexington (1931-1933), Naval Submarine School, New London, CT (1933), submarine USS S-33 (1934-1936), submarine USS Bonita, SS-165 (1937), Naval Academy – Graduate studies (1938-1939), USS Twiggs (DD-127) as Executive Officer (1939-1940) then on 23 Sep 1940, now Lt Bailey received orders to report to Asiatic Station for assignment. On 15 Jan 1941, Lt Bailey received orders to the Asiatic fleet assigned submarine, USS Permit (SS-178).
He was promoted to Lieutenant (Junior Grade) on 04 Jun 1934 and to Lieutenant on 01 July 1939. Additional achievements included completing a course in submarine instruction, qualifying for command of submarines, completing a course in Chemical Warfare, completed a post graduate course in naval engineering (operating) and completed a course in torpedo instruction.
While he attended submarine school in New London, CT., Ensign Bailey met and later married on 23 Nov 1933, Elizabeth Brander Avery, the daughter of Connecticut Associate Supreme Court Justice, Christian L. Avery, at the Naval Chapel in New London, CT. They were the parents of one child – Christopher Avery Bailey born 13 Jun 1940 in New London, CT.
There are no details available regarding the transfer of Lt Bailey from the Permit to the aircraft tender, USS Langley (AV-3). It is not known if he was even on board the Permit. However, it seems strange to me that an experienced submarine officer would be sent to a large surface ship as gunnery officer especially on the brink of war.
At the outbreak of WWII, Langley lay anchored in Manila Bay off Cavite, Philippine Islands. After learning of the attacks at Pearl Harbor, Langley got underway on the evening of 8 December with two oilers, USS Pecos (AO-6) and USS Trinity (AO-13) and steamed out of Manila Bay, passed Corregidor, and south toward the Netherlands East Indies and Balikpapan, Borneo, and Darwin, Australia arriving there on New Year's Day 1942. A few weeks later she joined the American-British-Dutch-Australian (ABDACOM) forces assembled in Indonesia in response to anticipated Japanese advances in that area. Langley steamed from Fremantle, Australia on 22 Feb in a convoy named MS-5 that left five days later to deliver 32 P-40 aircraft and 33 Army Air Corps (AAC) pilots and 12 aircrew to Tjilatjap harbor on the southern coast of Java, Dutch East Indies.
The morning of 27 Feb 1942 dawned clear with light seas. Langley was nearing Tjilatjap some 100 miles distant, and recently joined by her antisubmarine screen comprised of destroyers Whipple (DD-217) and Edsall (DD-219). However, about 0900, a Japanese reconnaissance aircraft spotted the three vessels and a short time later relayed the contact information to his base. At 1150, nine "Betty" twin-engine enemy bombers were sighted approaching Langley's little force.
The General Quarters alarm was sounded. Lt Bailey, the Gun Boss, as he was known, hurried to the signal bridge with Langley's CO, CDR Robert P. McConnell, where they had an unobstructed view of the airspace around the ship. The first and second Japanese strikes were unsuccessful, however, during the third attack Langley took five hits. One of the bombs struck near the Signal Bridge where Lt Bailey and the CO were standing next to each other. Shards of metal flew across the area cutting down several machine gun crews and striking Lt Bailey. An eyewitness saw the Gun Boss sag, a huge, bloody wound in the chest. He collapsed face down on the deck. A pharmacist's mate arrived quickly on scene to attend to the badly wounded Bailey. He was removed to sick bay where he was attended by Dr. Robert Blackwell.
Langley's engine room quickly flooded; steering was impaired, fires were abundant, and the ship took a 10° list to port. Langley went dead in the water. At 1332, the order to abandon ship was passed. It was followed by a rush over the sides and a remarkably efficient rescue operation executed by the Edsall and Whipple. Nearly everyone wore life jackets. On Langley there was some confusion but no panic.
Lt Bailey was moved into the nearly full number-one motor whaleboat that was filled with the most seriously wounded men and a small contingent of attending pharmacists. Then, without warning, the after fall on the boat parted dropping the stern abruptly down spilling the occupants into the sea below. Eyewitnesses saw Lt Bailey tumble into the water below.
The forward fall was released and the boat fell into the water landing upright. Several sailors climbed into the boat and began picking up the floating wounded. The rescue was completed with surprising speed, but somehow, one of the wounded in the water was missed.
Soon after, the number-two motor whaleboat was lowered into the water. It made its way slowly toward Edsall picking up swimmers as it went. During one of the boat's many course changes, a man was seen floating motionless. As he was hauled aboard the man was recognized as Lt Bailey. He was unconscious, badly wounded and dying. The unconscious Gun Boss, Lt Bailey, was brought on board the Edsall where he was attended to by Lt Charles G. Butler, MD, physician assigned to COMDESDIV 57, who was on board the Whipple. Lt Bailey never regained consciousness. He died on board Edsall the following day. His remains were committed to the sea during a service conducted by the Langley's Executive Officer, CDR Lawrence Divoll. CDR Divoll was transferred later in the day to the USS Pecos along with the other Langley survivors on board Edsall.
Lt Bailey was (posthumously) awarded the Purple Heart, American Defense Service Medal with Fleet Clasp and one bronze star, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal with Fleet Clasp and two bronze stars, World War II Victory Medal, Philippine Defense Medal with Fleet Clasp and the Combat Action Ribbon.
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.
July 1931
LTjg John Waldron '24 (Scouting Plane Squadron (VS) 3B)
LTjg Richard Downer '27 (Scouting Plane Squadron (VS) 3B)
LTjg Elmer Cooper '27 (Torpedo and Bombing Plane Squadron (VT) 1B)
ENS John Riggs, Jr. '28 (Torpedo and Bombing Plane Squadron (VT) 1B)
ENS Weldon Hamilton '28 (Torpedo and Bombing Plane Squadron (VT) 1B)
ENS John Yoho '29 (Scouting Plane Squadron (VS) 3B)
October 1931
LTjg John Waldron '24 (Scouting Plane Squadron (VS) 3B)
LTjg Richard Downer '27 (Scouting Plane Squadron (VS) 3B)
LTjg Elmer Cooper '27 (Torpedo and Bombing Plane Squadron (VT) 1B)
LTjg John Riggs, Jr. '28 (Torpedo and Bombing Plane Squadron (VT) 1B)
ENS Henry Twohy '29 (Fighting Plane Squadron (VF) 5B)
ENS John Yoho '29 (Scouting Plane Squadron (VS) 3B)
January 1932
LTjg John Waldron '24 (Scouting Plane Squadron (VS) 3B)
1LT Donald Willis '24 (Scouting Squadron 15-M)
LTjg Richard Downer '27 (Scouting Plane Squadron (VS) 3B)
LTjg Elmer Cooper '27 (Torpedo and Bombing Plane Squadron (VT) 1B)
LTjg John Riggs, Jr. '28 (Torpedo and Bombing Plane Squadron (VT) 1B)
ENS Henry Twohy '29 (Fighting Plane Squadron (VF) 5B)
ENS John Yoho '29 (Scouting Plane Squadron (VS) 3B)
April 1932
LTjg John Waldron '24 (Scouting Plane Squadron (VS) 3B)
1LT Donald Willis '24 (Scouting Squadron 15-M)
LTjg Richard Downer '27 (Scouting Plane Squadron (VS) 3B)
LTjg Elmer Cooper '27 (Torpedo and Bombing Plane Squadron (VT) 1B)
LTjg John Riggs, Jr. '28 (Torpedo and Bombing Plane Squadron (VT) 1B)
ENS Henry Twohy '29 (Fighting Plane Squadron (VF) 5B)
ENS John Yoho '29 (Scouting Plane Squadron (VS) 3B)
October 1932
LT William Sample '19 (Aircraft Squadrons)
LT John Jones '21 (Aircraft Squadrons)
LT William Ault '22 (Torpedo and Bombing Squadron (VT) 1S)
ENS John Yoho '29 (Scouting Plane Squadron (VS) 3S)
ENS Edwin Kelly '30 (Torpedo Squadron (VT) 1B)
ENS Lance Massey '30 (Scouting Plane Squadron (VS) 3S)
January 1933
LT William Sample '19 (Aircraft Squadrons)
LT John Jones '21 (Aircraft Squadrons)
LT William Ault '22 (Torpedo and Bombing Squadron (VT) 1S)
LTjg Henry Twohy '29 (Fighting Plane Squadron (VF) 5S)
ENS Edwin Kelly '30 (Torpedo Squadron (VT) 1B)
ENS Victor Gaulin '30 (Scouting Plane Squadron (VS) 3S)
ENS Lance Massey '30 (Scouting Plane Squadron (VS) 3S)
April 1933
LTjg Arthur Farrell '25 (Fighting Plane Squadron (VF) 5B)
LTjg Henry Twohy '29 (Fighting Plane Squadron (VF) 5B)
ENS John Yoho '29 (Scouting Plane Squadron (VS) 3B)
ENS Victor Gaulin '30 (Scouting Plane Squadron (VS) 3B)
ENS Lance Massey '30 (Scouting Plane Squadron (VS) 3B)
July 1933
October 1933
April 1934
July 1934
October 1934
January 1935
April 1935
October 1935
July 1936
April 1937
September 1937
January 1938
July 1938
LT William Hobby, Jr. '23
LT Richard Baron '24
LT Harold Pound '25
LT William Graham, Jr. '25
LT Andrew Harris '25
LT Hilan Ebert '26
LT John Bermingham '29
LT Egbert Roth '29
LT Victor Gaulin '30
LTjg Russell Ross '30
LT John Bisson '30
January 1939
LCDR Robert Bedilion '22
LCDR William Hobby, Jr. '23
LT Richard Baron '24
LT Harold Pound '25
LT William Graham, Jr. '25
LT Andrew Harris '25
LT Hilan Ebert '26
LT John Bermingham '29
LT Egbert Roth '29
LT Victor Gaulin '30
LT Russell Ross '30
October 1939
June 1940
November 1940
The "category" links below lead to lists of related Honorees; use them to explore further the service and sacrifice of alumni in Memorial Hall.
