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Naval History and Heritage Command

Naval History and Heritage Command

Bailey, Kenneth D.
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Bailey, Kenneth D.

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Major, USMC, (1910-1942)

Major Kenneth D. Bailey, USMC, (1910-1942)


Kenneth Dillion Bailey was born on 21 October 1910 in Pawnee, Oklahoma. He later moved to Illinois where he spent three years with the One Hundred and Thirtieth Infantry in the Illinois National Guard. In July 1935, he was appointed from his state as a Second Lieutenant in the U.S. Marine Corps. After completing Basic School at Marine Barracks, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, he was assigned to the Fifth Marines at Quantico, Virginia. In June 1938, Bailey transferred to the Marine Detachment on board USS Pennsylvania and was promoted a month later to First Lieutenant.


Returning to Quantico, Bailey briefly served as a Range Officer with the Rifle Range Detachment before becoming the Assistant to the Training Officer at Recruit Depot, Parris Island, South Carolina. While at Parris Island, he was promoted in July 1940 to Captain. In December, he relocated to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba and was assigned to the First Marine Brigade. Bailey briefly transferred to the Seventh Marines, then returned with the First Marines to Parris Island. For his next duty station, he relocated to Quantico and became a Company Commander with the Fifth Marines, which was redesignated as the First Marine Raider Battalion after America's entry into World War II.


In April 1942, Bailey departed for duty in the Pacific, where he was temporarily promoted in May to Major. That August, he participated in the conquest of Tulagi, Solomon Islands, and was awarded the Silver Star for "conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity" while leading his company after being seriously wounded. On 12-13 September, Bailey heroically directed his men on Guadalcanal when the Japanese tried to retake Henderson Field. Despite receiving a severe head wound, his unit repulsed the enemy during more than 10 hours in fierce hand-to-hand fighting. For his "extraordinary courage and heroic conduct above and beyond the call of duty," Major Bailey was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor. He was killed on 26 September 1942, while attacking Japanese forces at Guadalcanal's Matanikau River. Kenneth D. Bailey is buried at Spring Hill Cemetery, Danville, Illinois.


USS Kenneth D. Bailey (DE-552), whose construction was cancelled in June 1944, and USS Kenneth D. Bailey (DD-713, later DDR-713), 1945-1975, were named in honor of Major Kenneth D. Bailey.


This page features the only image we have concerning Kenneth D. Bailey.