Question on WW2 Naval Blimp Pilots

[army historian]

Hello all, I have been researching a small medal group to a Naval Aviator (Blimp Pilot). It seems to me there were not a whole lot of them. I saw one statement that by 1944 - 1,500 Officers were trained for Lighter Than Air (LTA) service. I would guess maybe 2,000 by Wars end. Any help would be appreciated. Cheers Captain Albert

Edited March 5, 2011 by army historian

[speagle]

Hello all, I have been researching a small medal group to a Naval Aviator (Blimp Pilot). It seems to me there were not a whole lot of them. I saw one statement that by 1944 - 1,500 Officers were trained for Lighter Than Air (LTA) service. I would guess maybe 2,000 by Wars end. Any help would be appreciated. Cheers Captain Albert

Check this out. May be of some help.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dirigible_Pilot_Badge

Ed

[army historian]

Thanks Ed, yes I know about the half wings - most of the Blimp pilots did not like them as they had qualified as "Naval Aviators". The medal group I got has his original full Aviator's wings (what he wore in all his pictures). I was really trying to figure out just how many Blimp qualified officers there were in WW2. Oh for information I bought 2 of the current half wings from the Navy exchange earlier this year. Thanks again Cheers Captain Albert

Check this out. May be of some help.

http://en.wikipedia....ble_Pilot_Badge

Ed

Edited March 5, 2011 by army historian

[army historian]

Well I finally hear from "museuminfo.navalaviation@mchsi.com" and the article they sent said 1,400 Offices and 3,000 crew men were trained during WW2. Thanks Captain Albert

[Chris Liontas]

WW2 I would not know. In WWI, according to Flying Officers of the USN 1817-1919, lighter than air pilots were trained in Akron, Chatham, Montauk, Roackaway, Cape May, Hampton Rads, and Pensacola. I am betting at least one of these stations survived to train officers in WW2. Check with the Pensacola aviation museum. They are a great source of information on training.

[Chris Liontas]

WW2 I would not know. In WWI, according to Flying Officers of the USN 1817-1919, lighter than air pilots were trained in Akron, Chatham, Montauk, Roackaway, Cape May, Hampton Rads, and Pensacola. I am betting at least one of these stations survived to train officers in WW2. Check with the Pensacola aviation museum. They are a great source of information on training.

[army historian]

Thanks Chris - Most of the WW2 LTA Pilots were trained at Lakehurst N.J. and other Air Stations. Cheers Captain Albert

[Chris Liontas]

Great grouping! That 1/2 wing is amazing!! Any history on the pilot?

[army historian]

Chris here is my write-up so far. Cheers Captain Albert

Profiles of Service Series, #14

(A Collection of Militarymen’s Service and Their Awards)

By Captain George J. Albert, Jr.

5 Mar. 2011

Lieutenant Commander. Francis Lewis Bailey, Jr,

US Navy Lighter Than Air (LTA) Blimp Pilot

USS Helena (Pearl Harbor survivor) 95386

Served (1940-1946). Naval Reserves (1946-1959)

Medals and Awards:

Naval Aviator Wing (his AMICO Sterling pin back)

Naval Aviator Half Wing (Airship pilot) current

Navy Unit Citation (USS Helena – the first award of this honor)

American Defense Medal with “Fleet” bar (ring suspension) Boxed

American Campaign Medal Boxed

Asiatic Pacific Campaign with 4 stars paper bag

World War 2 Victory Medal paper bag

Naval Reserve Medal with original issue marked paper bag

American Legion Medal with “Commander” Top bar.

Other items: Engraved Naval Aviator bracelet, Dogtag, uniform buttons, original Separation doc., many photos. Naval Aviator Green Tunic with great embroidered wings.

Campaigns:

#1 PEARL HARBOR - MIDWAY: 7 December 1941 USS Helena torpedoed, saved from sinking by water tight doors and counter flooding.

#2 CAPE ESPERANCE: 11 - 12 October 1942 (Second Savo)

#3 CAPTURE AND DEFENSE OF GUADACANAL: 4 - 12 November 1942, 5 January 1943

#4 GUADALCANAL (Third Savo): 12 -15 November 1942

Francis Lewis Bailey, Jr. was born 30 September 1915 in Los Angeles, CA. Prior to the War Bailey worked for Coca-Cola Bottling Company, 1334 Central Ave., Los Angeles.

From a short history by his son Steve Bailey: Francis Lewis Bailey, Jr. after attending the U.S. Coast Guard Academy for 2 1/2 years and spending 1 1/2 years at U.C.L.A., enrolled in the first Officer Candidate School for the U. S. Navy in 1940. He graduated with top honors and was assigned to duty on the newly commissioned Light Cruiser U. S. S. Helena (CL-50). Note: Report of separation dated 1946 – lists him as enlisting in the Navy 9 July 1940 and was an Able bodied Seaman (AS), and being commissioned on 14 Nov. 1940. He came aboard just after her shake down cruise to South America where her crew (unofficially) investigated the derelict German pocket battleship Admiral Graf Spee in Montevideo harbor after her scuttling(see photos). Bailey would be part of 4 of the most hard fought Naval battles of the early part of WW2. Bailey was assigned to the USS Helena in 1940.

USS Helena, a 10,000-ton Saint Louis class light cruiser built at the New York Navy Yard, was commissioned in September 1939.

After serving in the Atlantic in 1939-Feb. 40 on her shake down cruise, she was transferred to the Pacific, where she spent the rest of a short, eventful career. The Helena steamed directly to the Pacific Fleet stationed at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. Between 18 Sep 1939 to 14 Jul 1941 the Helena was commanded Capt. Max Burke Demott (see photo). Capt. Robert Henry English, Jr., took over and commanded from 14 Jul 1941 to 6 Mar 1942 during the Pearl Harbor attack and trip to Mare Island. He was replaced by Gerald D. Linke from 6 Mar 1942 to 29 Mar 1942, and then Oliver Middleton Read, from29 Mar 1942 to 25 Sep 1942. Capt. Gilbert Corwin Hoover, commanded the Helena from 25 Sep 1942 to 23 Nov 1942 (when he was relieved). The last commander was Capt. Charles Purcell Cecil, from 23 Nov 1942 to the Helena’s sinking on 7 Jul 1943.

On December 7, 1941 the Helena was moored at 1010 Dock Navy Yard on the east side of the harbor; outboard was minesweeper Oglala. By chance Helena was in the berth normally assigned to Pennsylvania; and thus became a prime target for the Japanese planes.

Within 3 minutes of the time the first bomb of the attack fell on Ford Island, a lone torpedo plane launched a torpedo that passed under Oglala, and hit Helena on the starboard side almost amidships, just as the crew raced to battle stations. One engine room and one boiler room were flooded. Wiring to the main and 5-inch batteries was severed, but prompt action brought the forward diesel generator up within 2 minutes, making power available to all mounts. The explosion sent my father out of his berth onto the floor. General Quarters had been sounded and my father rapidly made his way to his battle station which was the after fire control tower. He was the aft fire control officer. That means - he directed the fire of all of the Helena’s guns aft of the stacks. The Helena was one of the few ships able to respond and fired on the Japanese planes through the entire attack. The Helena was officially assured of one plane brought down and possibly two others. Outstanding damage control work, and the fact that watertight integrity was promptly insured by the closing of the doors and hatches throughout the ship, kept Helena afloat. Had they not responded as quickly as they did she would of surly sunk. Many times later she gave the Japanese occasion to regret their failure to sink her that first day of the war.

After minimal repair at Pearl Harbor, the Helena sailed to Mare Island Navy Yard in San Francisco Bay to undergo major repair to her starboard engine room. Upon completion she returned to the South Pacific.

The following is from the internet “Helena History”:

“In 1942, she sailed to enter action, escorting a detachment of Seabees and an aircraft carrier rushing planes to the South Pacific. She made two quick dashes from Espiritu Santo to Guadalcanal, where the long and bloody battle for the island was then beginning, and having completed these missions, joined the task force formed around the aircraft carrier Wasp.

This task force steamed in distant support of six transports carrying Marine reinforcements to Guadalcanal. Mid-afternoon on 15 September, Wasp was suddenly hit by three Japanese torpedoes. Almost at once, she became an inferno. Helena, her guns blazing, stood by to rescue nearly 400 of Wasp's officers and men, whom she took to Espiritu Santo.

Captain Gilbert Hoover who commanded Helena during the Guadalcanal Campaign until he was relieved of command shortly after the Naval Battle of Guadalcanal.

Helena's next action was near Rennell Island, again in support of a movement of transports into Guadalcanal. Air attacks from Henderson Field had slowed down the Tokyo Express for several days, so on 11 October the Japanese poured everything they could deliver against the airstrip, hoping to neutralize air operations long enough to bring heavy troop reinforcements during the night. The Japanese fleet closed and by 18:10 was less than 100 mi (160 km) from Savo Island.

Helena, equipped with superior radar, was first to contact the enemy and first to open fire at 2346. When firing had ceased in this Battle of Cape Esperance in Ironbottom Sound, Helena had sunk the heavy cruiser Furutaka and destroyer Fubuki.

The Battle of Cape Esperance, also known as the Second Battle of Savo Island and, in Japanese sources, as the Sea Battle of Savo Island took place October 11 – 12, 1942. The battle was the third of five major naval engagements during the Guadalcanal campaign and took place at the entrance to the strait between Savo Island and Guadalcanal in the Solomon Islands.

On the night of October 11, Japanese naval forces in the Solomon Islands area, under the command of Gunichi Mikawa, sent a major supply and reinforcement convoy to their forces on Guadalcanal. The convoy consisted of two seaplane tenders and six destroyers and was commanded by Rear Admiral Takatsugu Jojima. At the same time but in a separate operation, three heavy cruisers and two destroyers under the command of Rear Admiral Aritomo Gotō were to bombard the Allied airfield on Guadalcanal (called Henderson Field by the Allies) with the object of destroying Allied aircraft and the airfield's facilities.

Shortly before midnight on October 11, a U.S force of four cruisers and five destroyers, under the command of Rear Admiral Norman Scott, intercepted Gotō's force as it approached Savo Island near Guadalcanal. Taking the Japanese by surprise, Scott's warships sank one of Gotō's heavy cruisers and one of his destroyers, heavily damaged another cruiser, mortally wounding Gotō, and forcing the rest of Gotō's warships to abandon the bombardment mission and retreat. During the exchange of gunfire, one of Scott's destroyers was sunk and one cruiser and another destroyer were heavily damaged. In the meantime, the Japanese supply convoy successfully completed unloading at Guadalcanal and began its return journey without being discovered by Scott's force. Later on the morning of October 12, four Japanese destroyers from the supply convoy turned-back to assist Gotō's retreating, damaged warships. Air attacks by U.S. aircraft from Henderson Field sank two of these destroyers later that day.

Despite Scott's victory in the action, the battle had little immediate, strategic importance. Just two nights later, two Japanese battleships bombarded and almost destroyed Henderson Field, and more Japanese reinforcements were successfully delivered to the island.

Based at Espiritu Santo, however, was Task Force SUGAR, commanded by Rear Admiral Norman Scott, and organized as follows:

2 heavy cruisers:

San Francisco, (F), Capt. Charles H. McMorris

Salt Lake City, Capt. Ernest G. Small

1 light cruiser:

Boise, Capt. Edward J. Moran

3 destroyers, Capt. Robert G. Tobin

Farenholt, Comdr. Eugene T. Seaward

Buchanan, Comdr. Ralph E. Wilson

Laffey, Lt. Comdr. William E. Hank

The Task Force as thus constituted was too small for effective operations against the enemy units likely to be encountered. It was augumented therefore by three other ships operating in the vicinity of Espiritu Santo: the light cruiser Helena (Capt. Gilbert C. Hoover), and the destroyers Duncan (Lt. Comdr. Ennis W. Taylor) and McCalla (Lt. Comdr. William G. Cooper).

Helena was next under attack on the night of 20 October while patrolling between Espiritu Santo and San Cristobal. Several torpedoes exploded near her but she was not hit. They were fired by a Japanese submarine.

Helena saw the climatic Naval Battle of Guadalcanal from its beginning when she was assigned the job of escorting a supply echelon from Espiritu Santo to Guadalcanal. The ship made rendezvous with the convoy of transports off San Cristobal on 11 November, and brought it safely into Guadalcanal. During the afternoon of 12 November, word came from a coast watcher, "enemy aircraft approaching." Immediately suspending unloading operation, all ships stood out to form an antiaircraft disposition. When the attack came, superb maneuvering of the force, and its own antiaircraft fire, broke up the first attack but the second damaged two ships. Helena came through without a scratch, and the task group brought down eight enemy planes in the eight-minute action.

As unloading resumed, an increasing stream of reports flowed in from patrolling aircraft. Ominously, the Japanese forces sighted contained no transports, and their intention was thus read as one of being pure offense. Helena — still steaming with Rear Admiral Daniel Callaghan's Support Group — aided in shepherding the transports away from Guadalcanal, then reversed course to Ironbottom Sound. The night of 13 November, Helena's radar first located the enemy. In the action that followed, the tropical night was lit again and again by the flashes of her big guns. She received only minor damage to her superstructure during the action. Daylight found a tragic scene in the grisly slot. The weaker American fleet had achieved the goal at heavy cost. The US had turned back the enemy and prevented the heavy attack that would have been disastrous to the Marine troops ashore.

In spite of the U.S. victory off Cape Esperance, the Japanese continued with plans and preparations for their large offensive scheduled for later in October. The Japanese decided to risk a one-time departure from their usual practice of only using fast warships to deliver their men and materiel to the island. On October 13, a convoy comprising six cargo ships with eight screening destroyers departed the Shortland Islands for Guadalcanal. The convoy carried 4,500 troops from the 16th and 230th Infantry Regiments, some naval marines, two batteries of heavy artillery, and one company of tanks.

To protect the approaching convoy from attack by CAF aircraft, Yamamoto sent two battleships from Truk to bombard Henderson Field. At 01:33 on October 14, Kongō and Haruna, escorted by one light cruiser and nine destroyers, reached Guadalcanal and opened fire on Henderson Field from a distance of 16,000 metres (17,500 yd). Over the next one hour and 23 minutes, the two battleships fired 973 14-inch (356 mm) shells into the Lunga perimeter, most of them falling in and around the 2,200 metres (2,400 yd) square area of the airfield. Many of the shells were fragmentation shells, specifically designed to destroy land targets. The bombardment heavily damaged both runways, burned almost all of the available aviation fuel, destroyed 48 of the CAF's 90 aircraft, and killed 41 men, including six CAF pilots. The battleship force immediately returned to Truk.

In spite of the heavy damage, Henderson personnel were able to restore one of the runways to operational condition within a few hours. Seventeen SBDs and 20 Wildcats at Espiritu Santo were quickly flown to Henderson and U.S. Army and Marine transport aircraft began to shuttle aviation gasoline from Espiritu Santo to Guadalcanal. Now aware of the approach of the large Japanese reinforcement convoy, the U.S. desperately sought some way to interdict the convoy before it could reach Guadalcanal. Using fuel drained from destroyed aircraft and from a cache in the nearby jungle, the CAF attacked the convoy twice on the 14th, but caused no damage.

The Japanese convoy reached Tassafaronga on Guadalcanal at midnight on October 14 and began unloading. Throughout the day of October 15, a string of CAF aircraft from Henderson bombed and strafed the unloading convoy, destroying three of the cargo ships. The remainder of the convoy departed that night, having unloaded all of the troops and about two-thirds of the supplies and equipment. Several Japanese heavy cruisers also bombarded Henderson on the nights of October 14 and 15, destroying a few additional CAF aircraft, but failing to cause significant further damage to the airfield.

Order of Battle

First Naval Battle of Guadalcanal

13 November 1942

Contributed by Richard Worth, Daniel Muir, Don Edwards and Andrew Pennock

United States Forces

Composition and Disposition of Task Group 67.4

CTG Rear Admiral Daniel J. Callaghan

USS Cushing (DD-376); Commander Thomas M. Stokes, COMDESDIV 15 ; Lt Commander Edward Parker, CO

Hit by 1? 6in shell, 16-20 5in and 5.5in shells; sank 1400; 71 killed, 67 wounded; Presidential Unit Citation.

USS Laffey (DD-459); Lt. Commander William E. Hank, CO (KIA)

Hit by 2 14in shells, 3? 5in shells, 1 24in torpedo; sank 0330; had dueled with IJN BB Hiei at a range of 75 feet, 56 killed, 109 wounded: Presidential Unit Citation.

USS Sterett (DD 407); Commander Jesse G. Coward, CO

Hit by 3 14in, 6 5in, and 2 3.9in shells; 26 killed, 18 wounded, Presidential Unit Citation.

USS O'Bannon (DD-450); Commander Edwin Wilkinson, CO

underwater damage when Laffey exploded; no casualties, survived the war with 17 Battle Stars and Presidential Unit Citation.

USS Atlanta (CL-51); Flagship Rear Admiral Norman Scott (KIA), Captain Samuel B. Jenkins, CO, Commander Campbell D. Emory, XO

Hit by 13 14in, 19 8in, 12 5in, and 5 3.9in shells and 1 24in torpedo (official USN report confirms 49 hits but includes none of 14in; Dull and Grace specify 14in hits, perhaps not recognized by the Americans due to the unusual ammuniotn being used, Type 3 bombardment rounds); towed to Lunga Point and scuttled 1800, 172 killed , 79 wounded, Presidential Unit Citation.

USS San Francisco (CA-38); Flagship TF 67.4, Rear Admiral Dan Callaghan (KIA), Captain Cassin Young (KIA), CO; Commander Mark H. Crouter, XO

Hit by 12 14in, 15 6in, 5 5.5in, and 13 5in shells; 115 killed, 150 wounded; Presidential Unit Citation.

USS Portland (CA-33); Captain Lawrence T DuBose, CO

Hit by 2 14in shells and 1 24in torpedo, rudder and screws damaged; towed to Tulagi by the USS Bobolink (ATA 131), 16 killed and 2 wounded, Presidential Unit Citation.

USS Helena (CL- 50); Captain Gilbert C. Hoover, CO

Hit by 4 14in and 1 5in shells; minor damage, 1 killed , 9 wounded; excellent SG surface search radar but placed 8th in line and not chosen as Flagship (San Francisco had older less accurate radar which was not relied on), first ship awarded the Navy Unit Commendation Ribbon.

USS Juneau (CL-52); Captain Layman K. Swenson, CO

Hit by 3 5in shells and 1 24in torpedo, breaking the keel, then later a 21in torpedo; approximately 100 to 140 survived the initial sinking, only 10 ultimately survived to be rescued.

USS Aaron Ward (DD-483); Captain Robert G. Tobin COMDESRON 12; Commander Orville F. Bregor, CO, Lt Commander F. Julian Becton, XO, author of "The Ship That Would Not Die"

Hit by 3 14in, 2 8in, and 4 5in shells; towed to Tulagi by Bobolink, 15 killed, 57 wounded.

USS Barton (DD-599); Lt. Commander Douglas H. Fox, CO

Hit by 2 24in torpedoes; broke in two and sank immediately, casualties were 13 officers and 151 enlisted killed and 1 officer and 31 enlisted wounded out of a total complement of 15 officers and 217 enlisted.

USS Monssen (DD-436); Lt. Commander Charles E. McCombs, CO

Hit by 2 14in and 36+ 5in shells, plus some 5.5in and 3.9in shells; sank at 1400, 110 killed, 33 wounded.

USS Fletcher (DD-445); Commander William M. Cole, CO

undamaged; had SG surface search radar, but was poorly placed at the rear of the column.

Composition of Japanese Force

Naval Support Group—Vice Adm Nobutake Kondo

Bombardment Force—Rear Adm. Hiroaki Abe

Battleship Division 11

Hiei (Flag); Capt Massao Nishida, CO

Hit by 28-38 8in and 70-74 5in shells, then 1 500-lb bomb and 4? 1000-lb bombs plus up to 7 aerial torpedoes; scuttled with 2 24in torpedoes, about 450 killed.

Kirishima; Capt Sanji Iwabuchi, CO

Hit by 1 8in shell; seven killed.

Destroyer Squadron 10—Rear Adm Satsuma Kimura

Light Cruiser Nagara (Flag); Capt Katsukiyo Shinoda, CO

Hit by 1 5in shell; six killed.

Desdiv 6—Capt Yusuke Yamada

Akatsuki (Flag); Commander Osamu Takasuka, CO

Hit by unknown number of 8in, 6in, and 5in shells; sunk with all hands (about 200 men).

Ikazuchi; Lt. Commander Saneo Maeda, CO

Hit by 3? 8in and 3? 5in shells; 19 killed.

Inazuma; Lt. Commander Masamichi Terauchi, CO

Desdiv 16—Capt Kiichiro Shoji

Yukikaze (Flag); Commander Ryokichi Kanma, CO

Amatsukaze; Commander Tameichi Hara, CO

Hit by 6in and 5in shells; 43 killed.

Desdiv 61

Teruzuki; Commander Tsuneo Orita, CO

Destroyer Squadron 4: Rear Adm Tamotsu Takama

Asagumo (Flag) - Commander Toru Iwahashi, CO

Desdiv 2 - Capt Masao Tachibana, CO

Harusame - Commander Masao Kamiyama, CO

Murasame (Flag)- Commander Naoji Suenaga, CO

Hit by 1 5in shell.

Yudachi – Commander Kiyoshi Kikkawa, CO

Hit by 7? 5in shells and an unknown number of 8in shells; sunk

Samidare - Commander Noboru Nakamura, CO

Picket Unit (Covering the passage between the Russells and Guadalcanal)

Desdiv 27: Capt Yasuhide Setoyama

Shigure

Yugure

Shiratsuyu

Sources:

1. The Imperial Japanese Navy by Paul S. Dull

2. The Naval Battle of Guadalcanal by James W. Grace

3. USS Atlanta/USS Juneau Home Page (http://www.geocities.com/Pentagon/4072/index.html)

4. USS Barton casualty report

Now the senior American officer in the task force because of the death of the task force commander in action, Helena's skipper — Captain Gilbert Hoover — commanded the task force's retirement to Espiritu Santo from the battle area. On the way, light cruiser Juneau was torpedoed and sunk. Believing that there were no survivors and that the threat from Japanese submarines was too great to search for any possible survivors, Hoover ordered the US ships to continue onward without pausing. Later, it turned out that 100 of Juneau's crew had survived the sinking, but almost all later died awaiting rescue, which took more that one week to occur. For this decision, Halsey removed Hoover from command of Helena.”

My father had been on board all of this time serving as the aft fire control officer. At this point in time, however, his request for air training had been approved and he was transferred from the Helena to the U.S. Naval Air Training Station at Pensacola, Florida. This appears to be around Feb.to May of 1943.

My father was NOT on board when the Helena went down (7 July 1943), he was in flight training in Pensacola, FL. Steve Washburn (my namesake) was on board and was last seen swimming for shore. I will try to find the 1/2 wing and let you know. Email

After basic air training of 18 weeks, my father was assigned (much to his chagrin) to the Lighter-Than-Air Unit at Lakehurst, New Jersey ZP-12. He became a blimp pilot, probably, mostly due to his age. He was, by that time, 28 years old. The Navy wanted 21 year olds (who didn’t know they were not invincible) to fly fighter planes, so my dad was stuck with blimps. This factor probably saved his life and I would not be here today.

He was sent to the U. S. Naval Base at Recife, Brazil (ZP-42) to escort the Allied convoys going across the Atlantic from Brazil to North Africa to support the war in Europe. The German U Boats were still active but they had great respect for blimps as the slow moving dirigibles could track a submarine at their own speed and rain down depth charges on them. They had a few “kills” but the deterrent factor was enormous.

He lived to see the end of the war and return to his wife and year-old son – me.

10 Feb.1946 Report of Separation lists Service as 7 years 0 months and 17 days. Rank: Lieutenant Commander. During WW2 1,400 LTA pilots were trained for service and 3,000 crew men. So LTA groups are on the rarer side.

Note: among Bailey’s medals is the Naval Reserve Medal.

The Naval Reserve Medal is a decoration of the United States Navy which was created by order of Secretary of the Navy James Paulding. The medal was first issued on September 12, 1938 and was an active decoration until 1958. On September 12, 1958, the Naval Reserve Medal was declared discontinued and was replaced by the Armed Forces Reserve Medal. It is not to be confused with the Naval Reserve Meritorious Service Medal which is a completely different decoration.

The Naval Reserve Medal was awarded to any member of the United States Naval Reserve, the associated National Naval Volunteers, and local Naval Militia units. To be awarded the decoration, a service member was required to perform ten years of continuous service in one of the aforementioned components in an active duty, drilling reservist, or inactive status.

It appears Bailey served 13 years in the Naval Reserve after 1946. Which agrees with what Steve his son said, “My dad was in the Naval Reserves until the late 1950's or early 60’s. I remember him going back to summer training at Lakehurst for a number of years and then, when we moved back to California he went to training at Los Alamos, Naval Air Station in Long beach. He retired without a pension. In his civilian life he was a civil engineer early on and then went into sales. He was much more of a "people person" and did much better in sales than engineering. But because of his engineering background he was able to sell "technical" industrial products. He worked mostly in the industrial equipment and aviation industries.”

Death Date: 13 Nov 1986

Death Place: El Dorado, California.California birth Index 1905-1995 Francis L. Bailey

Name:

Francis L Bailey

Birth Date:

30 Sep 1915

Gender:

Male

Mother's Maiden Name:

Corey

Birth County:

Los Angeles

California Death Index 1940-1997 Francis Lewis Bailey

Name: Francis Lewis Bailey

Social Security #: 563013522

Sex: Male

Birth Date: 30 Sep 1915

Birthplace: California

Death Date: 13 Nov 1986

Death Place: El Dorado

Mother's Maiden Name: Corey

1920 United States Federal Census Francis L. Bailey Jr.

Francis L Bailey Jr.

[Francis S Bailey Jr.]

Home in 1920:

Seal Beach, Orange, California

Age:

4

[4 3/12]

Estimated birth year:

abt 1916

[abt 1915]

Birthplace:

California

Relation to Head of House:

Son

Father's name:

Francis L Bailey

Father's Birth Place:

New York

Mother's name:

Sarah R Bailey

Mother's Birth Place:

California

Marital Status:

Single

Race:

White

Sex:

Male

Neighbors:

View others on page

Household Members:

Name

Age

Francis L Bailey

37

Sarah R Bailey

29

Edith D Bailey

6

Francis L Bailey

4

[4 3/12]

Agnes B Bailey

71

Abbie E Corey

63

Name: Francis L Bailey Home in 1920: Seal Beach, Orange, California Age: 37 Estimated birth year: abt 1883 Birthplace: New York Relation to Head of House: Self (Head)

[Head] Spouse's name: Sarah R Bailey Father's Birth Place: Arkansas Mother's name: Agnes B Bailey Mother's Birth Place: New York Marital Status: Married Race: White Sex: Male Home owned: Own Able to read: Yes Able to Write: Yes Neighbors: View others on page Household Members:

Name

Age

Francis L Bailey

37

Sarah R Bailey

29

Edith D Bailey

6

Francis L Bailey

4

[4 3/12]

Agnes B Bailey

71

Abbie E Corey

63

Name: Francis L Bailey Birth Date: 30 Sep 1915 Gender: Male Mother's Maiden Name: Corey Birth County: Los Angeles

Father Francis Lewis Bailey Sr. 3 Nov 1882 Kent cliffs N.Y. Died 1953

Mother Sarah Rebecca Corey 1883 King City CA. died 1971 Orange County CA.

Commanders of USS Helena:

CommanderFromTo

1Capt. Max Burke Demott, USN 18 Sep 1939 to 14 Jul 1941

2Capt. Robert Henry English, Jr., USN 14 Jul 1941 6 Mar 1942

3Gerald D Linke, USN 6 Mar 1942 29 Mar 1942

4 Oliver Middleton Read, USN 29 Mar 1942 25 Sep 1942

5Capt. Gilbert Corwin Hoover, USN 25 Sep 1942 23 Nov 1942 (releieved)

6Capt. Charles Purcell Cecil, USN23 Nov 1942 6 Jul 1943

Hi Captain,

I don't know when he graduated from flight training, but I know that he went through basic in Pensacola, FL and then to Lakehurst for blimp school. I (we) are not related to Charles Z. Bailey. I am related to Matthew A. Bailey (my great uncle, my dad's uncle) who was born in New York and lived his later life in San Francisco. He was fairly wealthy and very active in the Episcopal Church. His name is on the plaque at Grace Cathedral in San Francisco as a deacon and large donor to build the cathedral.

My dad was in the Naval Reserves until the late 1950's or early 60"s. I remember him going back to summer training at Lakehurst for a number of years and then, when we moved back to California he went to training at Los Alamos, Naval Air Station in Long beach. He retired without a pension. In his civilian life he was a civil engineer early on and then went into sales. He was much more of a "people person" and did much better in sales than engineering. But because of his engineering background he was able to sell "technical"

industrial products. He worked mostly in the industrial equipment and aviation industries.

I will try and get more specific dates for his leaving the Helena and his air training dates.

I am glad you are keeping his career alive, Steve

California Deaths 1940-1997

Name: Francis Lewis Bailey Social Security #: 563013522 Sex: Male Birth Date: 30 Sep 1915 Birthplace: California Death Date: 13 Nov 1986 Death Place: El Dorado Mother's Maiden Name: Corey