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Contact Info
Home Town Tyler, TX
Date of Passing Sep 07, 1967
Location of Interment Arlington National Cemetery (VLM) - Arlington, Virginia
Wall/Plot Coordinates 13 8477-A
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Unofficial Badges
Additional Information
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Commodore Harry A. Badt World War I and World War II
Commodore Harry Asher Badt was a commodore in the United States Navy and was in World War I and World War II.
Badt was born on September 22, 1884 in Tyler, Texas. He graduated from the Naval Academy in 1908 and was commissioned as an ensign. Aboard the Annapolis during the Nicaraguan Campaign, 1912, and at Vera Cruz in 1914. He took postgraduate engineering courses at the Naval Academy. He received a Master of Science degree from Columbia University, 1916.
He received new orders to be on the new battleship Arizona as a navigator. After serving in European waters, he became the commanding officer of the destroyer Simpson. When he returned to the United States, he received orders to be the first engineer of the new light cruiser, Marblehead.
Instructor at Annapolis 1926-1928. Commanding Officer of the Nokomis 1928-1930. Instructor again at Annapolis 1930-1933. Commanding officer Aleutian Islands survey expedition in 1933. Badt became the director of all Navy recruiting from 1935-1937. Graduated from the Naval War College in 1938. He went to sea as the commanding officer of the heavy cruiser Tuscaloosa, 1938-1940.
Duty with the Bureau of Naval Personnel as director of enlisted personnel 1940-1942, then Director of Special Projects 1942-1946. He was responsible with the organization of three new Naval Training Stations, which were under construction in Sampson, New York, Bainbridge, Maryland and Farragut, Idaho.
The United States Senate accepted the recommendation of President Franklin D. Roosevelt to promote Captain Harry Asher to the rank of Commodore in September 1944. Retired in April 1947.
Commodore Harry A. Bradt died on September 7, 1967 and is buried with his wife in the Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia. Decorations included the Legion of Merit. He was a Freemason.
Other Comments:
Legion of Merit
Awarded for Actions During World War II
Service: Navy
Rank: Commodore
Citation: The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Legion of Merit to Commodore Harry Asher Badt (NSN: 0-7224), United States Navy, for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services to the Government of the United States as Commanding Officer and then Commandant of the Naval Training Station and the Naval Training Center, and later as Commander, Naval Training Center, Sampson, New York, from 16 September 1942 to 1 November 1945. Commodore Badt organized and established the Naval Training Station at Sampson, New York, displaying unusual initiative and foresight in planning a new activity and placing it in service in the shortest possible period at a time when the urgent needs for newly trained enlisted personnel in large number for the fleet were highly critical. He manifested unusual leadership in a continually expanding station and administered the new training center with outstanding efficiency, coordinating the many and complex activities of the TrainingCenter over a period of these years. His sound judgment, superb planning, determined leadership and efficient administration of a very large and complicated training center were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.
U. S. Naval Training Center, Sampson, N.Y. 15 September 1944 Capt. Badt Advanced To Commodore
Commodore Harry A. Badt, USN
U.S. Senate Acts on President's Recommendation Commander of Center Since Its Establishment Given Flag Rank On Approval Of Upper House.
The United States Senate has confirmed the promotion of Captain Harry A. Badt, USN, Center Commander, to the rank of Commodore. The Senate acted after Captain Badt had been nominated to flag rank by President Roosevelt.
The honor comes to Commodore Badt as a fitting reward for a long and distinguished career in his country's service.
Commodore Badt graduated from the Naval Academy in 1908, and completed 40 years of active service on 10 May 1940. After almost seven years at sea, he took the post-graduate engineering course at the Naval Academy, and, in 1916, received his Master of Science degree from Columbia University.
Conducted Aleutian Survey
In 1933, he was sent to the Aleutian Islands as Commander of the first Aleutian Islands Survey Expedition for pioneer work in charting the Adak Area.
From 1935 to 1937, he was director of all Navy Recruiting in the United States with headquarters in Washington, and then, spent one year at the Naval War College, Newport, Rhode Island. In 1938, he went to sea as Commanding Officer of the heavy cruiser, TUSCALOOSA, and served on that vessel until April, 1940.
Directed New Projects
In 1940, Commander Badt became Director of Enlisted Personnel of the Navy, and in April, 1942, became Director of Special Projects. In this capacity, Commodore Badt was charged with the organization of the three new Naval Training Stations (later designated as Naval Training Centers) under construction at Sampson, N. Y. Bainbridge, Md., and Farragut, Idaho. The Naval Training Station at Sampson was established on 17 October 1942 with Commodore Badt as its Commandant. On 19 April 1944, the station was redesignated as a Naval Training Center and Commodore Badt's title was changed to Center Commander.