Illustration by Ed Supovitz
Commodore Harry A. Badt

Jewish Generals and Admirals in America's Military

Commodore Harry A. Badt:
World War I and World War I
by Seymour “Sy” Brody

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. He took postgraduate engineering courses at the Naval Academy. He received a Master of Science degree from Columbia University, 1916.

In World War I, Badt was at sea as an engineering officer on the cruiser Minneapolis, 1916-1920. He was transferred to the battleship Minnesota.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.

Badt became the director of all Navy recruiting from 1935-1937. He went to sea as the commanding officer of the heavy cruiser Tuscaloosa, 1938-1940. He became the Director of Special Projects. 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.

He married Miss Jennie Yudelevit in January 1926. They had two children, Lois Mae and Esther Allen.

Commodore Harry A. Bradt died on September 7, 1967 and is buried with his wife in the Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia.

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