Harry F. Bauer, Date of Birth, Date of Death
TweetHarry F. Bauer
Recipient of the Purple Heart medal
Date of Birth: 17-Jul-1904
Date of Death: 05-Sep-1942
Profession: military officer
Zodiac Sign: Cancer 
About Harry F. Bauer
- Harry Frederick Bauer (July 17, 1904 – September 5, 1942) was a 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 his 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 postgraduate 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 (DD-82) on 1 January 1942. Bauer was commissioned lieutenant commander July 1, 1941 and took command of fast transport USS Gregory (APD-3) January 1, 1942.
- While acting as combat transports for Marines off Guadalcanal during the night of 4–5 September 1942.
- On 4 September, Gregory and USS Little (DD-79) were returning to their anchorage at Tulagi after transferring a Marine Raider battalion to Savo Island.
- The night was inky-black with a low haze obscuring all landmarks, and the ships decided to remain on patrol rather than risk threading their way through the dangerous channel.
- As they steamed between Guadalcanal and Savo Island at ten knots, three Japanese destroyers (Yudachi, Hatsuyuki, and Murakumo – entered the Slot undetected to bombard American shore positions.
- At 0056 on the morning of 5 September, Gregory and Little saw flashes of gunfire which they assumed came from a Japanese submarine until radar showed four targets – apparently a cruiser had joined the three DD's.
- While the two outgunned but gallant ships were debating whether to close for action or depart quietly and undetected, the decision was taken out of their hands. A navy pilot had also seen the gunfire and, assuming it came from a Japanese submarine, dropped a string of five flares almost on top of the two APD's.
- Gregory and Little, silhouetted against the blackness, were spotted immediately by the Japanese destroyers, who opened fire at 0100.
- Gregory brought all her guns to bear but was desperately overmatched and less than 3 minutes after the fatal flares had been dropped was dead in the water and beginning to sink.
- Two boilers had burst and her decks were a mass of flames.
- Harry Bauer, himself seriously wounded, gave the word to abandon ship, and Gregory's crew reluctantly took to the water.
- Harry, making the ultimate sacrifice, ordered two companions to aid another crewman yelling for help and was never seen again; for his brave and gallant conduct he posthumously received the Silver Star, the Purple Heart, and promotion to Commander (Page 71).
- His memorial marker is in Arlington National Cemetery.
- The destroyer USS Harry F.
- Bauer (DM-26), which earned a Presidential Unit Citation in 1945 for action in the Okinawa Campaign was named for him.
Read more at Wikipedia