JAMES MONROE “JIMMIE” BAILEY, Jr. was born 29 Oct 1917 in Winchester, Randolph, Indiana, He was the son of James Monroe Bailey Sr., and Marguerite Della McNees who were married on 08 July 1916 in Alton, Madison, Illinois. James Jr., had four siblings: Julia Maxine, Albert McNees, Robert Neal, and Frederick Gene Bailey. Albert was killed in action on 09 Sept 1944 over Germany, and Robert died in a vehicle accident while on active duty on Guam 6 April 1949.

Jimmie attended McKinley school near Winchester and Saratoga High School in Saratoga, IN from 01 Sep 1934 to Oct 1936. He was a member of the school’s basketball team, and he completed the 10 grade. While still in school he operated a newspaper agency in Winchester and after leaving school, he was employed by the Painter mortuary at Ridgeville, IN.

Like so many youth of his day mired in the depths of the Great Depression, James was anxious to learn a trade, travel and find adventure. And, like many of his contemporaries, he was lured to the opportunities and steady paycheck of the US military services. On 17 Jan 1939, James traveled the 26 miles from Winchester, IN to the US Navy Recruiting Station (NRS), at Richmond, IN. There he secured a US Navy enlistment application. He completed the preliminary entrance examinations; submitted personal references; completed administrative paperwork and submitted to a background check. He was accepted for enlistment. On 01 Feb 1939, James traveled to the NRS in the Naval Reserve Armory in Indianapolis, Marion, IN to complete additional processing. James soon completed all of his requirements, however, he was placed on a waiting list for the next four months because of the flood of applicants due in part to the war clouds gathering over Europe.

James was finally summoned to report on Tuesday, 06 June 1939 at the NRS in Indianapolis for enlistment. After he passed the required medical exams, he was sworn into service with the US Navy for four years with the beginning rate of Apprentice Seaman (AS) and a monthly pay of $21.00. His navy serial number (NSN) was 291-58-45. Later that day, he entrained for the 200 plus mile trip to the Naval Training Station (NTS), Great Lakes, IL. He began about three months of recruit training the next day. On 24 Aug 1939, he sat for the General Classification Test (GCT) on which he scored at the 79th Percentile. AS Bailey graduated from recruit training on 18 Sept 1939 with orders in hand to report the next day for duty onboard the new light cruiser, USS Helena (CL-50). Helena was commissioned on 18 Sept 1939 at the New York Naval Shipyard, Brooklyn, NY. AS Bailey reported for duty on 19 Sept 1939 as a plank owner.

The following month he requested a change of rate from Seaman to Fireman (Engineering). He changed his rate to Fireman 3rd class (F3/c) on 14 Oct 1939. On 13 Jan 1940, Helena crossed the Equator, and according to long standing navy tradition, her pollywogs (first time crossing) endured initiation to enter King Neptune’s realm to become Shellbacks. The following year Bailey advanced in rate to Fireman Second Class (F2/c) on 16 Aug 1940. F2/c Bailey answered the muster call on 07 Dec 1941 when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor and the Helena was struck by an aerial dropped torpedo. Bailey was aboard Helena during the attack. A notation was recorded in his service record; During the Japanese attacks of December 7, 1941, Bailey performed his duties in accord with the highest naval traditions. On 01 Oct 1942 Bailey advanced in rate to Fireman First Class (F1c). On 6 Jun 1943, Bailey agreed to extend his enlistment for two years.

USS Helena (CL-50) was a St. Louis-Class light cruiser assigned to the Pacific fleet in WWII. On 07 Dec 1941 she was moored at 1010 Dock Navy Yard, Pearl Harbor. She sustained one torpedo hit during the Japanese attack, but remained afloat. It was later found that she had numerous stress fractures to her hull that would require her to return to California and the Mare Island Naval Shipyard. Her repairs were completed by the end of Jun 1942. She returned to the southwest Pacific area where she participated in the Guadalcanal Campaign. While she was at Mare Island, Helena was outfitted with an advanced radar system that significantly increased the proficiency of her gun crews. In Oct 1942 Helena was engaged in a night action known as the Battle of Cape Esperance. She was credited with helping to sink the Japanese heavy cruiser Furutaka and destroyer Fubuki. The following month she participated in the Naval Battle of Guadalcanal on 13 Nov 1942 where she was only one of two US warships to come away from the fight unscathed. In early 1943, she conducted gun fire support missions against Lunga, Koli and Kokumbona Points on Guadalcanal Island. After an overhaul in Sydney, Australia in March 1943 she returned to Espiritu Santo.

On the night of 5 July 1943, Helena moved into the Kula Gulf. The Battle of Kula Gulf began and ended quickly for Helena, but not before she damaged several enemy Japanese ships. She was hit by 3 torpedoes. About 22 minutes after being struck, Helena sank with her battle flag still flying high. Almost 750 crewman were saved. Unfortunately, F1/c Bailey was one of the 168 who went down with the ship. He was reported missing in action on 6 July 1943. His parents received a telegram from the Chief of Naval Personnel dated 23 July 1943 which said in part: The Navy Department deeply regrets to inform you that your son, James Monroe Bailey, Junior, Fireman First Class, United States Navy is missing following action in the performance of his duty and in the service of his country. Thereafter, each year the Navy Department would sent Bailey’s parents a letter to keep them abreast of anything new had been learned about their son. Finally, they received a letter dated 30 Aug 1945 from the Secretary of Navy declaring that their son was presumed dead on 10 Aug 1945. Later, his remains were declared unrecoverable.

In F1c Bailey’s service record was found an entry that was dated 01 Feb 1944 from the Bureau of Naval Personnel (BUPERS) that said the following: “Rating changed from Fireman First Class to Machinist’s Mate third class, effective 01 January 1944, in accordance with provisions of BuPers Circ., Ltr 205-43 of 12 October 1943. This change involves no increase in pay, inasmuch as Machinist’s Mate third class is within the same pay grade as Fireman first class with base pay $78.00 per month.”

Signed //S//

A.C. Jacobs

Officer in Charge

Casualties and

Allotments Section

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Petty Officer Bailey was posthumously awarded the Purple Heart, Navy Unit Commendation Ribbon, Good Conduct Medal,* Navy Combat Action Ribbon, American Campaign Medal, American Defense Service Medal with Fleet Clasp, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal with 7 Battle Stars, and World War II Victory Medal.

* Note; On 05 Jun 1943, F1c Bailey’s enlistment expired. Several days earlier, he had voluntarily agreed to extend his current enlistment for two years. That extension (mentioned earlier) began on 06 Jun 1943. Documents in his service record state that he was entitled to an honorable discharge; he was recommended for reenlistment, and he WAS recommended for the Navy Good Conduct Medal. Was recommended means he would receive that medal. Had his ship not been sunk a month later, he would have been a recipient of that medal. The US Navy owes it to his family.

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Petty Officer Bailey’s parents received a personal commemoration from President Harry S. Truman. It reads:

In grateful memory of James Monroe BAILEY, Junior, who died in the service of his country at Sea, ATTACHED U.S.S.HELENA, 10 August 1945 (presumed). He stands in the unbroken line of patriots who have dared to die that freedom might live and grow and increase its blessings. Freedom lives, and through it, he lives -- in a way that humbles the undertakings of most men.

//s// Harry S. Truman

President of the United States

of America

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USS Helena (CL-50) was the first ship in the US Navy to be awarded the Navy Unit Commendation (NUC). It reads:

"For outstanding heroism in action against enemy Japanese forces afloat in the Solomon Islands - New Georgia Areas. Gallantly carrying the fight to the enemy, the USS HELENA opened the night Battle of Cape Esperance on 11-12 October 1942 boldly sending her fire into the force of enemy warships, sinking a hostile destroyer and holding to a minimum the damage to our destroyers in the rear of the Task Force. She engaged at close quarters a superior force of hostile combatant ships in the Battle of Guadalcanal on the night of 12-13 November 1942, rallying our own forces after the Flag Ship had been disabled and contributing to the enemy's defeat. In her final engagement in the pre-dawn battle of 5-6 July 1943, the HELENA valiantly sailed down the restricted and submarine-infested waters of Kula Gulf under the terrific torpedo and gun fire of the enemy to bombard Kolombangara and New Georgia while covering the landing of our troops at Rice Anchorage, and twenty-four hours later, her blazing guns aided in the destruction of a vastly superior enemy naval force before she was fatally struck by Japanese torpedoes. Her brave record of combat achievement is evidence of the HELENA'S intrepidity and the heroic fighting spirit of her officers and men.”

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Primary Sources:

1) Bailey, James Monroe, Jr. Machinist’s Mate Third Class, US Navy Service Record (OMPF), The National Personnel Records Center, Military Personnel Records (NPRC-MPR), St Louis, MO. May 2025. (66 pages)

2) USS Helena (CL-50) Wikipedia page online retrieved Sept 2018.

3) USS Helena II, (CL-50) 1939-1943 DANFS H. Naval History and Heritage Command. Published 07 April 2020. https://www.history.navy.mil/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/h/helena-cl-50-ii.html

4) Ancestry.com Navy WWII muster and Change reports

5) Fold3 by Ancestry Navy Muster reports and Change reports

6) Multiple newspaper articles from The Union City Times-Gazette (Union City, Indiana). Newspaper.com.

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Bio #476 composed on 08 Sept 2018 and updated on 04 June 2025 by Gerry Lawton (G47)

Military Hall of Honor ID#123805

Find a Grave Memorial ID: 44332848

Find a Grave Memorial ID: 56758736

Fold3 Ancestry.com