Lucky Bag Yearbook

From the 1943 Lucky Bag:

BAILIS MITCHELL BELL

I’ll tell you how it is, fellas," and B.M. was explaining the intricacies of academics or giving sage advice. West Virginia sent us a pilot, a voice for the choir, a swimmer, a real roommate, and a competent student. B.M. combined social and academic pursuits into that happy medium for which we all strive. His serious nature and sophisticated knowledge hidden by a buoyant spirit should make him the kind of officer this Navy needs. His first love is naval aviation in which he intends to specialize, and we’ll be glad to row him aboard our ship any time.

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He was commander of 6th Company for the second set and a member of the swimming team. The Class of 1943 was graduated in June 1942 due to World War II. The entirety of 2nd class (junior) year was removed from the curriculum.

Loss

Bailis was lost when USS Little (APD 4) was sunk near Guadalcanal by Japanese surface forces early in the morning of September 5, 1942.

Other Information

From researcher Kathy Franz:

At the Junior-Senior Banquet on January 19, 1937, at the Masonic Temple banquet hall, Bailis was toastmaster over the entertaining program. Football helper, golf club, Vivace Glee Club, Hi-Y, and cast member in the operetta “And It Rained.”

His father was a commercial salesman for oil well supplies.

From the Class of 1943 anniversary book “25 years later…”:

BM was born in Sisterville, West Virginia on 5 January 1920. He was appointed from West Virginia and entered the Academy on 29 June 1939. Upon graduation in June 1942 he reported to duty aboard the destroyer USS LITTLE. It was on 5 September 1942 that BM died when the LITTLE was sunk by enemy gun fire off Guadalcanal in the Pacific. He was entitled to wear the Purple Heart, American Defense Service Medal with Fleet Clasp and the Asiatic-Pacific Area Campaign Medal. He was survived by his parents Mr. and Mrs. Thomas William Bell who at BM’s death resided at Meridian Manor, Apartment 5, 1424 Chapin Street, N. W. Washington, D. C.

He has a memory marker in West Virginia. His next of kin was listed as his mother, Mary Agnes Deberry Bell, of Washington, D.C.. His service number was O-165749.

Photographs

From his high school yearbook