Last Primary NEC
131X-Unrestricted Line Officer - Pilot
Last Rating/NEC Group
Line Officer
Service Years
1930 - 1967
Last Photo
Personal Details
Home State
New Jersey
Year of Birth 1905
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Contact Info
Home Town Jersey City, New Jersey
Last Address Ft. Pierce, Florida
Date of Passing Jul 10, 1989
Location of Interment Arlington National Cemetery (VLM) - Arlington, Virginia
Rudolph Charles Bauer, 83, an aviator who served as a Navy dive bomber and test pilot during WWII and in Korea, died of cancer July 10, 1989 in Ft Pierce, Florida.
Admiral Bauer served aboard carriers USS Coral Sea and USS Kalinin Bay, participating in the WWII Marshall Islands, Saipan, Guam and Palau Islands campaigns, and in the battle of Leyte Gulf in the Philippines. He also served as the executive officer of the carrier Midway in 1945 and later was director of the armament test unit at the Patuxent River Naval Air Test Center in Southern Maryland.
In the early 1930s, he completed flight training at Pensacola, Florida, and served for 3 years as a pilot in bombing and scouting squadrons embarked in the USS Lexington. From 1937 to 1939, he was the senior aviator aboard the heavy cruiser USS Pensacola.
During his military career was awarded the Navy Cross, the Silver Star, several Air Medals and the Presidential Unit Citation.
A native of Jersey City, New Jersey, he attended Fordham University and later was appointed to the United States Naval Academy, where he graduated in 1930.
He is survived by his wife of 47 years, Margaret Ryan Bauer of Ft Pierce; 2 sons, a daughter, and 2 grandchildren. Services will be held at the Fort Myer Chapel, with burial in Arlington National Cemetery.
http://www.arlingtoncemetery.net/rcbauer.htm
Mariana and Palau Islands Campaign (1944)/Battle of Guam
From Month/Year
July / 1944
To Month/Year
August / 1944
Description Guam, ringed by reefs, cliffs, and heavy surf, presents a formidable challenge for an attacker. But despite the obstacles, on 21 July, the Americans landed on both sides of the Orote peninsula on the western side of Guam, planning to cut off the airfield. The 3rd Marine Division landed near Agana to the north of Orote at 08:28, and the 1st Provisional Marine Brigade landed near Agat to the south. Japanese artillery sank 20 LVTs, and inflicted heavy casualties on the Americans, especially on the 1st Provisional Marine Brigade, but by 09:00 men and tanks were ashore at both beaches. The 77th Infantry Division had a more difficult landing. Lacking amphibious vehicles, they had to wade ashore from the edge of the reef where they were dropped by their landing craft. The men stationed in the two beachheads were pinned down by heavy Japanese fire, making initial progress inland quite slow.
US Marines move inland.
By nightfall, the Americans had established beachheads about 6,600 feet (2,000 m) deep. Japanese counterattacks were made throughout the first few days of the battle, mostly at night, using infiltration tactics. Several times, they penetrated the American defenses and were driven back with heavy loss of men and equipment. Lieutenant General Takeshi Takashina was killed on 28 July, and Lieutenant General Hideyoshi Obata took over the command of the defenders.
Supply was very difficult for the Americans in the first days of the battle. Landing ships could not come closer than the reef, several hundred yards from the beach, and amphibious vehicles were scarce. However, the two beachheads were joined up on 25 July, and the Orote airfield and Apra harbor were captured by 30 July.
The counterattacks against the American beachheads, as well as the fierce fighting, had exhausted the Japanese. At the start of August, they were running out of food and ammunition and had only a handful of tanks left. Obata withdrew his troops from the south of Guam, planning to make a stand in the mountainous central and northern part of the island. But with resupply and reinforcement impossible because of American control of the sea and air around Guam, he could hope to do no more than delay the inevitable defeat for a few days.
Rain and thick jungle made conditions difficult for the Americans, but after an engagement at Mount Barrigada from 2-4 August, the Japanese line collapsed; the rest of the battle was a pursuit to the north. As in other battles of the Pacific War, the Japanese refused to surrender, and almost all were killed. On 10 August, after three weeks of combat, organized Japanese resistance ended, and Guam was declared secure. The next day, Obata committed ritual suicide.