Lee J. Baggett Jr. (January 11, 1927 – August 10, 1999) was a four star admiral in the

United States Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the naval warfare, maritime military branch, service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is the world's most powerful navy with the largest Displacement (ship), displacement, at 4.5 millio ...

who served as Commander in Chief Europe in 1985 and Commander in Chief of the

United States Atlantic Command The United States Atlantic Command (acronym from 1947-1993 USLANTCOM, after 1993 USACOM) was a Unified Combatant Command of the United States Department of Defense. In 1999, U.S. Atlantic Command was renamed and given a new mission as United ...

from 1985 to 1988. A native of Oxford, Mississippi, Baggett studied civil engineering at the

University of Mississippi The University of Mississippi (Epithet, byname Ole Miss) is a Public university, public research university in University, near Oxford, Mississippi, United States, with a University of Mississippi Medical Center, medical center in Jackson, Miss ...

for two years before entering the

United States Naval Academy The United States Naval Academy (USNA, Navy, or Annapolis) is a United States Service academies, federal service academy in Annapolis, Maryland. It was established on 10 October 1845 during the tenure of George Bancroft as United States Secre ...

. He was commissioned in 1950 after earning his B.S. degree. He began his service aboard the USS ''Frank Knox'' (DDR 742) in 1950, and he subsequently served in USS ''Charles J. Badger'' (DD 657). Baggett later received an M.S. degree in nuclear physics from the

Naval Postgraduate School Naval Postgraduate School (NPS) is a Naval command with a graduate university mission, operated by the United States Navy and located in Monterey, California. The NPS mission is to provide "defense-focused graduate education, including clas ...

. His May 1958 thesis entitled ''π⁻-p Elastic Scattering and Single Pion Production at 0.939 Bev/c'' was based on research conducted at the Radiation Laboratory of the

University of California, Berkeley The University of California, Berkeley (UC Berkeley, Berkeley, Cal, or California), is a Public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Berkeley, California, United States. Founded in 1868 and named after t ...

. Baggett also studied at the

Naval War College The Naval War College (NWC or NAVWARCOL) is the staff college and "Home of Thought" for the United States Navy at Naval Station Newport in Newport, Rhode Island. The NWC educates and develops leaders, supports defining the future Navy and associa ...

. A career surface warfare officer, Baggett commanded two minesweepers and two guided missile destroyers. As a

vice admiral Vice admiral is a senior naval flag officer rank, usually equivalent to lieutenant general and air marshal. A vice admiral is typically senior to a rear admiral and junior to an admiral. Australia In the Royal Australian Navy, the rank of Vice ...

, he served as

commander, Naval Surface Force Pacific The Commander, Naval Surface Force Pacific (COMNAVSURFPAC) is the type commander for the Surface Force under the United States Pacific Fleet. The COMNAVSURFPAC is also the Commander, Naval Surface Forces (COMNAVSURFOR) and the Commander, Surf ...

from May 1979 to July 1982. From 27 November 1985 he was the Supreme Allied Commander Atlantic and Commander in Chief US Atlantic Command. Baggett died in 1999 of heart disease. He was interred at

Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery is a federal United States National Cemetery System, military cemetery in San Diego, California. It is located on the grounds of the former Army coastal artillery station Naval Base Point Loma, Fort Rosecrans a ...

Awards and decorations

References

1927 births 1999 deaths People from Oxford, Mississippi University of Mississippi alumni United States Naval Academy alumni United States Navy personnel of the Korean War University of California, Berkeley alumni Naval Postgraduate School alumni Naval War College alumni United States Navy personnel of the Vietnam War Recipients of the Distinguished Service Order (Vietnam) Recipients of the Meritorious Service Medal (United States) Recipients of the Legion of Merit United States Navy admirals Recipients of the Navy Distinguished Service Medal Recipients of the Defense Distinguished Service Medal Burials at Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery {{US-navy-bio-stub