Boatswain's Mate Third Class Bailey was a member of the Mobile Boat Pool #1, U.S. Navy. On 18 March 1952, he was thrown from a Landing Craft Medium and drowned near Chumunjin, South Korea.

Bailey was awarded the Combat Action Ribbon, the Korean Service Medal, the United Nations Service Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Korean Presidential Unit Citation and the Republic of Korea War Service Medal.