ANDREW H. BAHJAT  "Baghdad"  
On Thursday, April 27, 2017, Andrew "Baghdad" Bahjat, of Springfield, VA died after suffering liver and kidney failure. Born June 28, 1967 in Rochester, NY, Baghdad was most proud of his civil service career with the Navy, serving as the Adversary Requirements Officer and Strategic Planner helping Australia acquire the EA-18G Growler. An avid fan of Star Trek, Naval and British history, long dedicated to Naval Aviation, he counted many aviators-both US and Australian--and aircraft carrier commanders among his many friends. He authored "Chronology of the Cold War at Sea, 1945-1991" with Norman Polmar and Eric Wertheim. Baghdad's famous introductions, with precise resume-quality details, wit, humor, and unusually long toasts were just a few of the examples how he could welcome everyone into any crowd. Truly larger than life, he will be missed by so many, most notably his wife, Angie Knappenberger; brother and his fiancee, Randall Bahjat and Fernanda Melo, and two rescue Samoyeds, Comet and Sinatra. He was preceded in death by his parents, Khalid and Clarita Bahjat. A graveside service will be held on Thursday, May 11 at 1 p.m. at National Memorial Park with a celebration of life memorial at the Army Navy Club, Washington, DC on Wednesday, May 17 from 6 to 9 p.m. (note attire). His family respectfully requests donations, in lieu of flowers, to choice of Caring Hearts Rescue, Tailhook Education Foundation or the Campaign to Change Direction.