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Adapted from "Captain Harry Howe Bagley, Civil Engineer Corps, United States Navy"  [biography, dated 12 November 1958] in Modern Biographical Files collection, Navy Department Library.

 
Topic
  • Logistics
Document Type
  • Biography
Wars & Conflicts
  • World War II 1939-1945
File Formats
Location of Archival Materials
  • NHHC-Library

Harry Howe Bagley

 

20 December 1905 – [no death date]

 

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Harry Howe Bagley was born in Fairview, New Jersey, on December 20, 1905, son of Lewis Clarence and Sadie Howe Bagley.  He attended Cooper Union and Columbia University, in New York, and George Washington University, Washington, DC, and holds the degrees of Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering and Civil Engineer.

Commissioned Lieutenant (junior grade) in the US Naval Reserve on February 9, 1937, he reported for active duty on June 19, 1939.  Through subsequent advancement and his transfer from the Civil Engineer Corps of the Naval Reserve to that of the US Navy, he attained the rank of Captain, CEC, USN, to date from July 1, 1951.

Called to active duty in June 1939, he reported to the Navy Department, Washington, DC, for duty as Assistant to the Design Manager in the Bureau of Yards and Docks, and later served as Head of the Development Division.  While assigned to that Bureau prior to the outbreak of World War II in December 1941, he participated in the planning of Hepburn and Greenslade Board Bases and Pacific Air Bases, and continued duty there until May 1943.  Remaining in the Navy Department throughout the latter war period, he served as Assistant Logistics Planner for BuDocks support in the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations.  As such he assisted in planning for the support of all major offensives in the Pacific, and in Normandy and Southern France.

Detached in July 1946, he reported to the Commander Marianas, for duty as Design Officer, Base Development, and in January 1948 returned to the States for two years’ duty as Assistant Public Works Officer for the Severn River Naval Command and the Naval Academy, Annapolis, Maryland.  From January 1950 until February 1952, he was Officer-in-Charge of Construction for the American Battle Monuments Commission in Rome, Italy, in charge of construction of memorials and cemeteries at Anzio and Florence, Italy.  He next had duty at the San Francisco Naval Shipyard, reporting in April 1952 as Public Works Officer, with additional duty as Resident Officer in Charge of Construction of BuDocks projects, including among others the $8,000,000 Radiological Defense Laboratory.

Under orders of February 23, 1954, he later had instruction at the National War College, Washington, DC, and after graduation in June 1955 reported to the Joint Staff, Office of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, also located in Washington.  He remained on duty there until May 1958 when he was ordered to the Staff of the Supreme Allied Commander, Europe, his currently duty.

Captain Bagley has the Naval Reserve Medal (for ten years’ service in the US naval Reserve) ; the American Defense Service Medal; American Campaign Medal; World War II Victory Medal; and National Defense Service Medal.

He is a member of the American Society of Civil Engineers and of the Society of American Military Engineers.  He is also a member of the Armed Forces Writers League.

 

END

Published: Thu Aug 20 08:10:59 EDT 2020