Ensign Worth Bagley was a United States Navy

United States Navy

The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...

 officer during the Spanish-American War

Spanish-American War

The Spanish–American War was a conflict in 1898 between Spain and the United States, effectively the result of American intervention in the ongoing Cuban War of Independence...

, distinguished as the only U.S. naval officer killed in action during that war.

Biography

Born in Raleigh, North Carolina

Raleigh, North Carolina

Raleigh is the capital and the second largest city in the state of North Carolina as well as the seat of Wake County. Raleigh is known as the "City of Oaks" for its many oak trees. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city's 2010 population was 403,892, over an area of , making Raleigh...

, he graduated at the United States Naval Academy

United States Naval Academy

The United States Naval Academy is a four-year coeducational federal service academy located in Annapolis, Maryland, United States...

 in 1895. After serving two years on the USS Montgomery

USS Montgomery (C-9)

The fourth USS Montgomery was a protected cruiser in the United States Navy during the Spanish-American War. She was named for Montgomery, Alabama....

, Texas

USS Texas (1892)

USS Texas was a second-class pre-dreadnought battleship built by the United States in the early 1890s. She was the first American battleship and the first ship named in honor of the state of Texas to be built by the United States...

, and Maine

USS Maine (ACR-1)

USS Maine was the United States Navy's second commissioned pre-dreadnought battleship, although she was originally classified as an armored cruiser. She is best known for her catastrophic loss in Havana harbor. Maine had been sent to Havana, Cuba to protect U.S. interests during the Cuban revolt...

, he was made ensign

Ensign (rank)

Ensign is a junior rank of a commissioned officer in the armed forces of some countries, normally in the infantry or navy. As the junior officer in an infantry regiment was traditionally the carrier of the ensign flag, the rank itself acquired the name....

, July 1, 1897. In November he was appointed inspector of the new torpedo-boat Winslow

USS Winslow (TB-5)

-External links:*...

, and when she went into commission on December 28, he was made her executive officer

Executive officer

An executive officer is generally a person responsible for running an organization, although the exact nature of the role varies depending on the organization.-Administrative law:...

 under Lieutenant

Lieutenant

A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...

 J. B. Bernadou.

In April 1898, the Winslow was, with the fleet, mobilized for operations in Cuba

Cuba

The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...

n waters. On the morning of May 11 the ship went with the Hudson and the Wilmington to force the entrance to the harbor of Cárdenas

Cárdenas, Matanzas, Cuba

Cárdenas is a municipality and city in the Matanzas Province of Cuba, about east of Havana.-Geography:Cárdenas is a maritime port town on the level and somewhat marshy shore of a spacious bay of the northern coast of the island , sheltered by a long promontory...

. She was fired upon by one of several Spanish gunboat

Gunboat

A gunboat is a naval watercraft designed for the express purpose of carrying one or more guns to bombard coastal targets, as opposed to those military craft designed for naval warfare, or for ferrying troops or supplies.-History:...

s, and immediately there was a general engagement. The Winslow was soon disabled, and was with difficulty hauled out of range of the Spanish guns. Just as the engagement ended, Ensign Bagley and four sailors were killed by a shell.

Namesakes

The first three USS Bagleys

USS Bagley

Four ships of the United States Navy have borne the name Bagley. The first three were named after Ensign Worth Bagley. The fourth, FF‑1069, honors both Worth Bagley and his brother, Admiral David W. Bagley....

, Torpedo Boat No. 24, Destroyer No. 185, and DD-386, were named for Ensign Worth Bagley. The fourth, DE-1069, honors both Worth Bagley and his brother, Admiral David W. Bagley

David W. Bagley

David Worth Bagley was an admiral in the United States Navy during World War II. He was also the brother of Ensign Worth Bagley, who was the only United States Navy officer killed in action during the Spanish-American War....

.