Walter L. J. Bayler | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | April 8, 1905 Lebanon, Pennsylvania, US |
| Died | December 8, 1984 (aged 79) Tustin, California, US |
| Place of Burial | |
| Allegiance | United States |
| Service | United States Marine Corps |
| Years of service | 1927–1957 |
| Rank | Brigadier general |
| Commands | 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing 1st Marine Air Warning Group |
| Battles / wars | |
| Awards | Legion of Merit |
Walter Lewis John Bayler (8 April 1905 – 8 December 1984) was a brigadier general in the United States Marine Corps who was famed during World War II 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).[1]
After the war, Colonel Bayler served as the Commander of the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing and Marine Corps Air Station El Toro, California. He retired in 1957 settling in Orange County, California. He worked for Hughes Aircraft Company for a time before later teaching high school physics. BGen Bayler died on 8 December 1984.