The USS BAYA SS-318 was commissioned on Saturday, May 20, 1944. According to the submarine's deck logs from that date, at 0900 Captain C.W. Styer, USN, accepted the BAYA for the United States Navy from Captain Foster of the Electric Boat Company and placed the ship in full commission. At 0905, Commander Arnold H. Holtz, USN, took command of the submarine, as previously ordered by BuPers Mailgram 212039 of October 1943.
Click on the picture to see a bigger version with names
Click on the picture to see a bigger version with names
Click on the picture to see a bigger version with names
Click on the picture to see a bigger version with names
USS BAYA Plank Owners
A plank owner is a sailor who is assigned to a ship or submarine when that vessel was commissioned. The following is a list of the officers and enlisted personnel that reported aboard her for duty:
OFFICERS
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Arnold H. Holtz
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Commander
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Edward R. Holt, Jr.
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Lt. Commander
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Frederick C. Wyse, Jr.
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Lieutenant
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Robert M. McKellar
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Lieutenant
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Robert H. Gulmon
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Lieutenant JG.
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Reid M. Bennett, Jr.
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Ensign
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Charles H. Clouse
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Ensign
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ENLISTED
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Louis R. McVay
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Electrician
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August Ballawender
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CmoMM(AA)(SS)
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Willie R. Bradford
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CEM(PA)(SS)
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Joseph A. DeAngelis
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EM1c(SS)
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Harold Calgani
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MoMM1c(SS)
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Ray E. Miller
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Y2c(SS)
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Thomas R. Sailers
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EM1c(SS)
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Robert L. Saxon
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CMoMM(PA)(SS)
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Glenn T. Skeels
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CTM(PA)(SS)
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Carl J. Smith
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RM1c(SS)
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Frank J. Reck
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EM1c(SS)
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John A. Anderson
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TM2c(SS)
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Harold W. Aston, Jr.
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S1c(GM)
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Borgie F. Ballard
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RM3c
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Burke B. Barbee
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QM1c(SS)
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Kenneth Barfield
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StM1c(SS)
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John W. Berkman
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TM3c
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Lloyd E. Berry
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MoMM2c
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Floyd E. Boyer, Jr.
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TM3c
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Everett B. Bradshaw
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CPhM(PA)(SS)
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Thomas Butler
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MoMM1c(SS)
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Irwin Cohen
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F1c(MoMM)
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Robert D.L. Crandall
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F1c(EM)
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Thomas R. Curry
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F1c(MoMM)
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Daniel J. Daniels
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F1c
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Charles J. Devers
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RM2c(SS)
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Harold W. Erickson
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EM2c(SS)
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Herbert A. Fasick
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SC3c
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Dewey C. Ferrell, Jr.
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MoMM2c
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Elton F. Fitch
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S1c(TM)
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Clarence S. Flinn
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F1c(MoMM)
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John Garrison, Jr.
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F1c(MoMM)
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Paul E. Gaulden
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MoMM2c
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Harry Gedansky
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MoMM2c
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Stanley N. Gifford
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SC1c(SS)
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Hubert A. Goodwater
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S1c
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Walter Grinuk
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F1c(MoMM)
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Clifford J. Ham
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F1c(MoMM)
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Walter C. Hanson
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S2c
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Dick R. Henry
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EM3c
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Hudson W. Hollister, Jr.
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S1c(TM)
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William W. Holmes
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GM1c(SS)
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Thomas L. Kanasky
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GM3c(SS)
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Horace G. Keith
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QM3c
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George R. Langford
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FC3c
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Donald P. Longsderff
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S2c
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John Lynn, Jr.
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S1c
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David F. Mathis
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S2c
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Charles B. Matlock, Jr.
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MoMM2c(SS)
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Ralph A. Meier
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EM3c(SS)
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Leroy B. Merrill
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TM3c
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Jack E. Merz
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TM3c(SS)
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Allen D. Nachtigal
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EM2c(SS)
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Alex Newcomer, Jr.
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RM2c
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Fred J. Pando
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MoMM2c(SS)
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Charles Pellowski
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TM2c(SS)
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Emo E. Phillips
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S1c(TM)
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Lee C. Plake
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QM3c
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Charles L. Preston
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TM3c(SS)
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Edwin C. Rauch
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MoMM2c(SS)
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Fay W. Riley
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MoMM3c(SS)
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Harold E. Risinger
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MoMM1c(SS)
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Joseph A. Rollins
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EM3c
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Jimmie B. Shanks
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EM3c(SS)
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Robert V. Smith
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TM1c(SS)
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Vernon L. Smith
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SC2c(SS)
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Richard W. Stout
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TM2c(SS)
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Vernett W. Thomson
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SM1c(SS)
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Hugh McK. Tilley
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MoMM1c(SS)
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James N. Vierra
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RT1c
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Willie S. Wallace
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StM2c
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Walter C. Wellborn
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TM3c
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James T. Welte
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S1c
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George S. Williams
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MoMM1c(SS)
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This is an official invitation to the USS Baya's Commissioning Ceremony