Walter L. J. Bayler
Walter L. J. Bayler | |
---|---|
![]() | |
Born | Lebanon, Pennsylvania | April 8, 1905
Died | December 8, 1984 Tustin, California | (aged 79)
Place of Burial | |
Allegiance | ![]() |
Service/ | ![]() |
Years of service | 1927–1957 |
Rank | ![]() |
Commands held | 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing 1st Marine Air Warning Group |
Battles/wars | Banana Wars |
Awards | Legion of Merit |
Walter Lewis John Bayler (8 April 1905 – 8 December 1984) was a
After the war, Colonel Bayler served as the Commander of the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing and Marine Corps Air Station El Toro, California. He retired in 1957 settling in Orange County, California. He worked for Hughes Aircraft Company for a time before later teaching high school physics. BGen Bayler died on 8 December 1984.
Early years
Born 8 April 1905, in Lebanon, Pennsylvania Walter Bayler graduated from Lebanon High School in June 1923 and was selected to attend the United States Naval Academy.
Nicaragua and the 1930s
Upon graduation from the Naval Academy, he was commissioned a second lieutenant in the United States Marine Corps on 21 June 1927. He subsequently entered the Basic Class at Marine Barracks Philadelphia and graduated in January 1928. He sailed for Nicaragua that same month to serve with the 2nd Marine Brigade until his return in February 1929. While in Nicaragua he commanded the 49th Company of Horse Marines for eight months. This was a mounted cavalry unit that could swiftly deploy to problem areas.[2] Upon his return he attended pre-flight training at Marine Corps Base Quantico, Virginia, and entered flight training at Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida in May 1929. He earned his wings as a naval aviator in January 1930. He served at Quantico from February 1930 until May 1931. At that time he was selected to attend Naval Postgraduate School at Annapolis, Maryland, and in August 1932 he attended further post-graduate school at Harvard University. He graduated from Harvard in June 1933 with a master's degree in communications engineering.
In July 1933, he became the communications and navigation officer with
World War II
Pre-war
From August 1939 until May 1940, then Captain Bayler attended
Duties on Wake Island
On 20 November 1941, Maj Bayler and 48 Marines from MAG-21 departed Pearl Harbor on board the USS Wright (AV-1) bound for Wake Island. Arriving 29 November, their mission was to establish facilities at the airfield for air-ground radio communications.[3] Within three days of their arrival they had completed their radio station in a tent in a large parking area just off the main runway.[4] During this time he worked very closely with Captain Winfield S. Cunningham, overall garrison commander, Major James P. Devereux commanding the island's 1st Defense Battalion detachment and Major Paul A. Putnam, in command of VMF-211.[5] During the battle, Bayler provided rudimentary fighter direction without the aid of radar. He relayed observation reports from Marine spotters to Marine fighters overhead in their combat air patrol.[6]
Bayler had follow on orders to report to Midway by first available air transport to carry out the same mission there. On the evening of 20 December, a United States Navy PBY Catalina landed in Wake's lagoon. When it departed the next morning, Maj Bayler was on board cementing him as the "Last Man Off Wake Island."[7][8] At the time it was imperative for the Marine Corps to get Maj Bayler off of Wake Island because he was one of the few Marine Corps officers that had experience establishing air-ground communications networks and he was knowledgeable of the still top secret radar program within the United States.[9] Two days later on 23 December 1941, Wake Island fell to the Japanese with all members of the garrison either killed, wounded or taken prisoners of war for the remainder of World War II[10]
Midway Island and Hawaii
After departing Wake Island, Maj Bayler arrived at
Defense of Guadalcanal
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e1/Bayler_2.jpg/220px-Bayler_2.jpg)
Bayler flew into Guadalcanal himself piloting a
Establishment of the Air Warning Program
Upon his return from Guadalcanal, LtCol Bayler served as the commanding officer of the newly formed Marine Aircraft Group 34 at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, North Carolina from February to April 1943. During this time he also sat as the senior member of a Radar Policy Board convened by the Commandant of the Marine Corps beginning on 11 February 1943.[21] The board was tasked to make recommendations regarding the establishment of an adequate radar warning program, radar fire control and radar fighter direction for Marine Corps units during amphibious operations. Board recommendations included the organization of Air Warning Squadrons, placing organic fighter direction with night fighter squadrons and the creation of an Air Defense Section within the Division of Aviation at Headquarters Marine Corps. During this time in 1943, Bayler also co-authored a popular book titled Last Man Off Wake Island with Cecil Carnes. The book detailed his experiences on Wake, Midway and Guadalcanal early in the war.
On 1 July 1943, Col Bayler took command of the newly formed 1st Marine Air Warning Group (1st MAWG) at MCAS Cherry Point, NC. 1st MAWG's mission was to organize, train, and equip Air Warning Squadrons capable of setting up and maintaining expedient air defense systems to furnish early warning and fighter direction against enemy aircraft. He remained the commanding officer until 4 April 1944 at which time he was transferred to Headquarters Marine Corps, Division of Aviation to continue to develop requirements for the ever burgeoning air warning program.[1]
1944-45 in the Pacific
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/8c/Wake_Island_Surrender.jpg/220px-Wake_Island_Surrender.jpg)
Colonel Bayler returned to the Pacific in December 1944 as the chief of staff for the rear echelon of the
Post-war billets
He returned to Washington, D.C., in March 1946 to serve as the director of the Electronics Division, Bureau of Aeronautics, Navy Department until August 1948. He then attended the National War College until June 1949. His next assignment was as the officer in charge of the Aviation Section, Marine Corps Schools at MCB Quantico, VA. During this time he was also a member of board chaired by Major General Oliver P. Smith which recommended an expansion of the Marine Corps' newly developed helicopter program in order to advance emerging concepts in landing force techniques.
In December 1951, Col Bayler served as commanding general and later assistant wing commander for the
Retirement, death and legacy
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e4/MASS-3_Plaque_on_front_of_building.jpg/220px-MASS-3_Plaque_on_front_of_building.jpg)
Brigadier General Walter Bayler retired from active duty on 30 June 1957. He was advanced to the rank of brigadier general upon retirement because of his demonstrated heroism in combat. For his first five years out of uniform, he worked in production control management for the Hughes Aircraft Company in Fullerton and later Newport Beach. After his time with Hughes he earned his teaching certificate at Chapman College and taught physics at Sunny Hills High School in Fullerton for another 10 years. BGen Bayler died on 8 December 1984 in Tustin, California, and is buried in Riverside National Cemetery. He was survived by his wife, Virginia Katheine Bayler daughter Virginia Marie who was married to Marine Corps MajGen Hal W. Vincent and three grandchildren.[26]
The headquarters for Marine Air Control Squadron 1 (MACS-1) at the 32 Area on Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California was named in honor of BGen Bayler on 9 July 1990.[27] Today, that building is the Headquarters for Marine Air Support Squadron 3 (MASS-3).
Medals and decorations
Here is the ribbon bar of Brigadier General Walter L. J. Bayler:
![]() | ||
![]() ![]() |
||
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
Legion of Merit citation
For extra exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding service to the Government of the United States, as Group Communications Officer and Assistant Group Operations Officer on Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands, from August 30 to September 22, 1942. Arriving by air with the rear echelon of a Marine Aircraft Group on August 30, Lieutenant Colonel Bayler, with little equipment and personnel, and often working alone, reestablished the existing communications facilities in order to operate additional aircraft successfully. Through his special ability, given determination and outstanding devotion to duty, he maintained communications in spite of the many failures caused by enemy bombings and shellings.[28]
Citations
- ^ a b "1st Marine Air Warning Group Unit History" (PDF). United States Marine Corps. 1 January 1945. Retrieved 22 November 2019.
- ^ Bayler & Carnes 1943, pp. 28–29.
- ^ Bayler & Carnes 1943, pp. 11–14.
- ^ Bayler & Carnes 1943, pp. 20.
- ^ Bayler & Carnes 1943, pp. 27.
- ^ Smith 1969, pp. 11.
- ^ Sherrod 1952, pp. 42–43.
- ^ "Colonel Bayler Tell of First Wake Island Attack". Marine Corps Chevron. San Diego, CA. 5 January 1942. Retrieved 19 November 2019.
- ^ Murray 1946, pp. 30.
- ^ Cressman 1992, pp. 30.
- ^ Bayler & Carnes 1943, pp. 196.
- ^ Bayler & Carnes 1943, pp. 229–30.
- ^ Lundstrom 2005, pp. 185.
- ^ Bayler & Carnes 1943, pp. 241.
- ^ Brown 1999, pp. 249.
- ^ Frank 1990, pp. 2007.
- ^ Lundstrom 2005, pp. 185–186.
- ^ Bayler & Carnes 1943, pp. 331.
- ^ Bayler & Carnes 1943, pp. 262.
- ^ Bayler & Carnes 1943, pp. 358–59.
- ^ Melson, Maj Charles D. (1996). CONDITION RED: Marine Defense Battalions in World War II. www.nps.gov. Retrieved 19 November 2019.
{{cite book}}
:|website=
ignored (help) - ^ Olszyk, 1stLt Louis (13 January 1945). "Last Man Off Wake Island Returns To South Pacific". Marine Corps Chevron. San Diego, CA. Retrieved 19 November 2019.
{{cite news}}
: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ Smith 1969, pp. 923.
- ^ "Wake Island Surrender On Board USS Levy DE 162". www.desausa.org/. Destroyer Escort Sailors Association. Retrieved 19 November 2019.
- ^ "Marines Get 3rd Air Wing". Naval Aviation News. Washing D.C.: Chief of Naval Operations. April 1952. Retrieved 19 November 2019.
- ^ Whiting, David (12 November 2012). "Retired Marine General and test pilot shares 'right stuff' era". www.ocregister.com. MediaNews Group Inc. Retrieved 22 November 2019.
- ^ "Chronologies 1990". www.usmcu.edu. Marine Corps University. Retrieved 18 November 2019.
- ^ "Walter L.J. Bayler". The Hall of Valor Project. www.militarytimes.com. Retrieved 19 November 2019.
References
This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the United States Marine Corps.
- Books
- Bayler, LtCol Walter L.J.; Carnes, Cecil (1943). Last Man Off Wake Island. Cornwall, NY: The Cornwall Press.
- Brown, Louis (1999). Technical and Military Imperatives: A Radar History of World War II. Washington, D.C.: Carnegie Institution of Washington. ISBN 0-75030-659-9.
- Cressman, Robert J (1992). A Magnificent Fight: Marines in the Battle For Wake Island. Washington, D.C.: Marine Corps Historical Center.
- Frank, Richard B. (1990). Guadalcanal: The Definitive Account of the landmark Battle. New York, NY: Penguin Books.
- Lundstrom, John B. (2005). The First Team And the Guadalcanal Campaign: Naval Fighter Combat from August to November 1942 (New ed.). Naval Institute Press.
- OCLC 1261876.
- Smith, S.E. (1969). The United States Marine Corps in World War II. New York, NY: Random House.
- Journal
- Murray, Bill (1946). "Eyes in the Night" (PDF). Marine Corps Gazette. 30 (5): 28–31, 44. Retrieved 28 June 2020.
External links
"Walter L. J. Bayler". Find a Grave. Retrieved 2019-12-10.