World War II Honoree

Robert Wesley 'Bob' Bayliss

Branch of Service

U.S. Coast Guard

Hometown

Tulsa, Oklahoma

Honored By

Robert S. Cox

SERVED IN THE EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN AND ASIATIC-PACIFIC THEATERS ABOARD THE TRANSPORT SHIP USS GENERAL WILLIAM MITCHELL (AP-114). FROM MARCH-AUGUST, 1944, HIS SHIP MADE FIVE ROUND TRIP TRANSPORT VOYAGES OUT OF NORFOLK, VIRGINIA AND NEW YORK, TO CASABLANCA, MOROCCO AND LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND. THE SHIP CARRIED PERSONNEL AND EQUIPMENT TO THE NORTH AFRICAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS AND PARTICIPATED IN THE BUILDUP PRIOR TO THE ALLIED INVASION OF FRANCE. ON THE RETURN LEG OF THESE VOYAGES, THE SHIP CARRIED CASUALTIES AND ROTATION TROOPS HOME TO THE UNITED STATES, INSURING A STEADY FLOW OF MEN AND EQUIPMENT BETWEEN AMERICA AND EUROPE. DURING THE AUTUMN OF 1944 AND THROUGH THE SPRING OF 1945, THE SHIP SAILED TWICE TO BOMBAY, INDIA, AS SHE REDEPLOYED AND ROTATED TROOPS IN THE CHINA-BURMA-INDIA (CBI) THEATER OF OPERATIONS, AND RELOCATED ITALIAN PRISONERS OF WAR WITHIN THE ASIATIC-PACIFIC THEATER. THE SHIP THEN TRANSPORTED TROOPS FROM SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA TO PACIFIC PORTS AT ESPIRITU SANTO ISLAND IN THE NEW HEBRIDES, GUADALCANAL IN THE SOLOMON ISLANDS, MANUS ISLAND IN THE ADMIRALTY ISLANDS, AND LEYTE IN THE PHILIPPINE ISLANDS. HIS SHIP SAILED TO LEGHORN AND NAPLES IN ITALY, TO REDEPLOY TROOPS FROM EUROPE TO THE PACIFIC FOR THE ANTICIPATED ASSAULT ON THE JAPANESE HOMELAND. THESE TROOPS WERE DEBARKED AT ULITHI ATOLL IN THE CAROLINE ISLANDS AND IN THE PHILIPPINE ISLANDS IN THE SUMMER OF 1945. AFTER HOSTILITIES ENDED, THE SHIP RETURNED TO SAN FRANCISCO ON DECEMBER 6, 1945 WITH HOMEWARD-BOUND SERVICE PERSONNEL AS PART OF OPERATION ‘MAGIC CARPET.’ THIS WAS THE CODE NAME FOR THE RAPID RETURN OF SERVICE PERSONNEL BY WARSHIPS AND TRANSPORT VESSELS FROM THEATER TO THE U.S.A. AS PART OF THE 'MAGIC CARPET' FLEET, HIS TRANSPORT SHIP CARRIED PERSONNEL AND EQUIPMENT FROM SAN FRANCISCO TO THE PHILIPPINES, AND RETURNED SERVICEMEN FROM HOLLANDIA TO SEATTLE, AND TROOPS FROM THE PHILIPPINES AND GUAM TO SAN FRANCISCO, THROUGH THE SPRING OF 1946. AWARDED THE GOOD CONDUCT MEDAL, AMERICAN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, ASIATIC-PACIFIC CAMPAIGN MEDAL, AND WWII VICTORY MEDAL. ALSO AWARDED THE PHILIPPINE LIBERATION MEDAL FOR SERVICE IN THE LIBERATION OF THE PHILIPPINES. HONORABLY DISCHARGED AND ISSUED THE WWII HONORABLE DISCHARGE LAPEL PIN.