World War II Honoree
World War II Veteran
Walter Lewis John Bayler
Branch of Service
U.S. Marine Corps
Hometown
Lebanon, Pennsylvania
Honored By
Pearl Thomas
Known as the Last Man Off Wake Island and the only American to see combat at Wake Island, Midway and Guadalcanal. A naval aviator and communications engineer, he was at the forefront of the Marine Corps' use of radar for early warning and fighter direction. He was one of the driving forces behind the Marine Corps' establishment of an air warning program and served as the first commanding officer of the 1st Marine Air Warning Group (1st MAWG). Received the Legion of Merit.