Welcome to the USS BAYA Home Page

This page was first started in July 2000 as a tribute to my late Grandfather, Horace Gary Keith, who served as a QM3 on the Baya from her commissioning until she returned to San Francisco after the war. (Click here to visit his dedication page) However, over the past several years I have come to realize that this tribute should extend further. I have received many emails and letters from those who served on the Baya during the war, from family members of those who served during World War II and are now on their last patrol, and from those who served onboard at other times during her 28 years of honorable service.

At this time, the main focus of this page is on the Baya's service in World War II, but I am expanding it to include her post war service. I have been to the National Archives in College Park, Maryland and have looked through her Deck Logs. I have obtained information on crew members and will be working on a list of what War Patrols each sailor was on. I have also had the pleasure to speak with Benjiman Jarvis who was the skipper of the Baya on her last three war patrols and asked him questions about the Baya's action in WW2.

Please be patient with me. I have not had a lot of time to dedicate to this project, but it is always on my mind. I had not updated the site since September 2001, but spent numerous hours during March 2006 updating the site. Over the years I had received many emails from people who served on the boat. I, however, have lost almost all of those contacts and the pictures they sent (thanks AOL).

One of the new features of the updated site is a Message Board. In the past, visitors were limited by how they could contact each other. The new Message Board will hopefully encourage a free exchange of communication. I also am putting the finishing touches on getting the War Patrol Reports for Patrols 2 and 3 on the site. I've also added the pictures that didn't vanish into cyber space.

Thank you for all those wonderful emails and please keep them coming. Please send any stories, pictures, or anything else you would like to see on this page. I will do my best to add any and all information and pictures I receive. You can email me at USSBAYA@AOL.COM

John C. Miller