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LCDR Oliver W. Bagby


LCDR Oliver W. Bagby
Feb 1945 - Feb 1947




Oliver W. Bagby was born December 26, 1916 in Washington, DC and graduated with the class of 1938 from the United States Naval Academy.

His first assignments were aboard the battleship USS Maryland and the destroyer USS Montgomery.  After Submarine School he served on board the USS Marlin and the USS Herring.  LCDR Bagby served as Executive Officer on the USS Bang (SS-385) during her first four war patrols in the Pacific.  In February 1945 he assumed command of the USS BANG where he completed War Patrol 6.  At age 24 he was then the youngest submarine skipper in the US Navy.

After World War II, he was assigned to the Reserve Fleet in New London, CT, and later took command of the USS Charr (SS 328) in San Diego, CA in 1947.   After completing studies at the Naval War College in Newport, RI, Capt Bagby was assigned to the Bureau of Naval Personnel in Washington, DC.  His next assignment was as COMSUBDIV 22 in New London.  He was on the staff of the Navy Post Graduate School in Monteray, CA, followed by service in Turkey as Officer in Charge of operations of the American Advisory Detachment to the Turkish Navy.  He became Chief of Staff for the US Naval Advisory Group to Turkey in 1959.  In 1961 he assumed command of the amphibious attack transport, USS Lenawee (APA-195) and from May 1962 to April 1963, the heavy cruiser, USS Helena (CA-75).  He returned to Washington in 1963 to OPNAV in the Navy Political Military Police Division and was Navy's Directop of Foreign Military Assistance.

Captain Bagby retired in 1968 after a thirty year naval career in which he was awarded 2 Silver Stars, 2 Bronze Stars and 3 Navy Commendation Medals.   After his naval career he managed seminars for foreign naval officers at the University of Pittsburgh.  In 1970 he returned to Washington, DC, as Senior Management Analyst for the Secretary of Transportation until his second retirement in 1979.  Captain Bagby lived in McLean, VA before moving to New Jersey in 1992

Oliver W. Bagby died at age 89 on January 15, 2006 in Red Hook, NJ and was buried with full military honors in Arlington National Cemetary.

His father, Oliver Walton Bagby, Lieutenant Commander, United States Navy, is also buried in Arlington National Cemetery, as is his grandfather, Henry Ware Lawton, Major General, United States Army, a Medal of Honor recipient, who was killed in action during the Philippine Insurrection.

Oliver Bagby             Oliver Bagby - 1992

                                                              Captain Oliver Bagby - 1992