b. 21/10/1910 Pawnee, Oklahoma. d. 26/09/1942 Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands.
DATE OF MOH ACTION: 12-13/09/1942 Henderson Field, Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands.
Kenneth D Bailey MOH
Kenneth Dillon Bailey was born in Pawnee, Oklahoma, on October 21, 1910. He later moved to Danville, Illinois, with his parents. He spent three years with the 130th Infantry Regiment, Illinois National Guard, He graduated from the University of Illinois in 1935 and was an active member of the National Society of Pershing Rifles, serving as second in command. [1] He received his second lieutenant’s commission in the Marine Corps on July 1, 1935. He was ordered to the Marine Barracks, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where he completed a course of instruction in the Basic School.
Joining the 5th Marine Regiment at Marine Corps Base Quantico, Virginia, he participated in maneuvers in San Diego, California, and in the Caribbean. In June 1938, he joined the Marine Detachment aboard the battleship USS Pennsylvania (BB-38) as Detachment and Battery Officer. He was advanced to first lieutenant on January 19, 1939 while serving on board Pennsylvania.
A short tour of duty at Quantico as Range Officer with the Rifle Range Detachment preceded his assignment as Assistant to the Training Officer, Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island at Parris Island, South Carolina. First Lieutenant Bailey was ordered to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, in December 1940 where he joined the 1st Marine Brigade. He later joined the 7th Marine Regiment, then the 1st Marine Regiment, which returned to Parris Island not long after he reported for duty. He was promoted to captain in March 1941.
At Quantico in June 1941, he joined the 5th Marine Regiment as a company commander. In February 1942, his unit was redesignated the 1st Marine Raider Battalion. The unit was ordered to Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego at San Diego, California, in April 1942, and on April 30, 1942 reached Tutuila, American Samoa.
During the invasion of Tulagi, Solomon Islands, at the beginning of the Guadalcanal Campaign on August 7, 1942, Captain Bailey led a successful assault against a Japanese machine gun nest. Although seriously wounded, he directed the action of his company until forcibly evacuated. For his “conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity,” he was awarded the Silver Star for his actions on Tulagi. He was promoted to major on May 8, 1942.
Bailey later moved with his unit to Guadalcanal. As commanding officer of Company C, 1st Marine Raider Battalion, he led his men in repulsing a Japanese attack, which had penetrated American lines during the Battle of Edson’s Ridge, 12 to September 14, 1942. Major Bailey was killed in action on September 26, 1942 while heading his men in an attack on the Japanese at the Matanikau River on Guadalcanal. His Medal of Honor was presented to his widow by President Franklin D. Roosevelt at the White House on 24 March 1943.
MOH CITATION:
For extraordinary courage and heroic conduct above and beyond the call of duty as Commanding Officer of Company C, First Marine Raider Battalion, during the enemy Japanese attack on Henderson Field, Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands, on September 12–13, 1942. Completely reorganized following the severe engagement of the night before, Major Bailey’s company, within an hour after taking its assigned position as battalion reserve between the main line and the coveted airport, was threatened on the right flank by the penetration of the enemy into a gap in the main line. In addition to repulsing this threat, while steadily improving his own desperately held position, he used every weapon at his command to cover the forced withdrawal of the main line before a hammering assault by superior enemy forces. After rendering invaluable service to the Battalion Commander in stemming the retreat, reorganizing the troops and extending the reserve position to the left, Major Bailey, despite a severe head wound, repeatedly led his troops in fierce hand to hand combat for a period of ten hours.
BURIAL LOCATION: SPRING HILL CEMETERY, DANVILLE, ILLINOIS.
BLOCK 16, GRAVE 72
LOCATION OF MEDAL: VERMILION COUNTY WAR MUSEUM, DANVILLE, ILLINOIS.
