FReeper Canteen ~ Hall of Heroes: Vernon Baker ~ July 26, 2010

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[Kathy in Alaska]

 

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---

~ Hall of Heroes ~

Vernon Baker

(Info found here.)

           

On Saturday, July 13th, another Medal of Honor recipient left us to guard the streets of heaven.  Thank you, sir, for your service to our country.

Vernon Joseph Baker (December 17, 1919 – July 13, 2010) was a United States Army officer who received the United States military's highest decoration, the Medal of Honor, for his actions in World War II. He was awarded the medal for his actions on April 5–6, 1945 near Viareggio, Italy, when he and his platoon killed 26 enemy soldiers and destroyed six machine gun nests, two observer posts and four dugouts. He was the only living black World War II veteran of the seven belatedly awarded the medal of honor when it was bestowed upon him by President William Jefferson Clinton in 1997.

Early life

Baker was born on December 17, 1919, in Cheyenne, Wyoming, the youngest of three children. After his parents died in a car accident when he was four, he and his two sisters were raised by their grandparents. His grandfather Joseph S. Baker, a railroad worker in Cheyenne, taught him to hunt in order to feed the family and became "the most influential figure in Vernon's life." His relationship with his grandmother was much more strained, and he spent a few years at the Boys Town orphanage in Nebraska to be away from her.

Baker graduated from high school in his grandfather's hometown of Clarinda, Iowa. He then worked as a railroad porter, a job he despised, until his grandfather's death from cancer in 1939. A series of menial jobs followed until his enlistment in the U.S. Army in mid-1941. At his first attempt to enlist, in April 1941, he was turned away, the recruiter stating "We don't have any quotas for you people." He tried again weeks later with a different recruiter and was accepted; he requested to become a quartermaster but was instead assigned to the infantry.

 

Military service

Baker entered the Army on June 26, 1941, six months prior to the U.S. entry into World War II. He went through training at Camp Wolters, Texas, and after completing Officer Candidate School was commissioned as a second lieutenant on January 11, 1943.

In June 1944, Baker was sent to Italy with the all-black 92nd Infantry Division. He was wounded in the arm in October of that year, hospitalized near Pisa, and in December rejoined his unit in reserve along the Gothic Line. In early spring, 1945, his unit was pulled from the reserves and placed in active combat. On the morning of April 5, he participated in an attack on the German stronghold of Castle Aghinolfi. During the assault, Baker led his heavy weapons platoon through German defenses to within sight of the castle, personally destroying three machine gun nests, two observation posts, two bunkers, and a network of German telephone lines along the way. It was for these actions that he was later awarded the Medal of Honor.

After the end of the war, Baker remained in Europe with the Allied occupation forces until 1947. He later joined the Army Airborne forces and left the military in 1968 as a first lieutenant.

In 1993, a study commissioned by the U.S. Army described systematic racial discrimination in the criteria for awarding medals during World War II. At the time, no Medals of Honor had been awarded to black soldiers who served in World War II. After an exhaustive review of files, the study recommended that several black Distinguished Service Cross recipients have their awards upgraded to the Medal of Honor. On January 13, 1997, President Bill Clinton awarded the medal to seven African American World War II veterans; Baker was the only recipient still living at the time.

Baker's official Medal of Honor citation reads:

For extraordinary heroism in action on 5 and 6 April 1945, near Viareggio, Italy. Then Second Lieutenant Baker demonstrated outstanding courage and leadership in destroying enemy installations, personnel and equipment during his company's attack against a strongly entrenched enemy in mountainous terrain. When his company was stopped by the concentration of fire from several machine gun emplacements, he crawled to one position and destroyed it, killing three Germans. Continuing forward, he attacked an enemy observation post and killed two occupants. With the aid of one of his men, Lieutenant Baker attacked two more machine gun nests, killing or wounding the four enemy soldiers occupying these positions. He then covered the evacuation of the wounded personnel of his company by occupying an exposed position and drawing the enemy's fire. On the following night Lieutenant Baker voluntarily led a battalion advance through enemy mine fields and heavy fire toward the division objective. Second Lieutenant Baker's fighting spirit and daring leadership were an inspiration to his men and exemplify the highest traditions of the Armed Forces.

 

Please remember the Canteen is here to honor, support and entertain our troops and their families.  This is a politics-free zone!  Thanks for helping us in our mission! 

[ConorMacNessa]

Good evening, Shipmate! Hope all is well with you!

Lamh Foistenach Abu!

[PROCON]

Hey Teenie!!

Much cooler here today, just been a lazy @ss, how was your day?

[oldteen]

Doin’ just fine, Conor, thanks for askin’. You still at work?

[ConorMacNessa]

Hiya, Army Bro! How goes it with you this evening?

Lamh Foistenach Abu!

[PROCON]

Hey and Aloha back at ya!!

We're getting some summer weather and it is beeeautiful!

How's things in paradise?!

[ConorMacNessa]

No - I left the office at 6:45 this evening - a productive day.

Lamh Foistenach Abu!

[MountainDad]

Hi guys! SSG Dusty is at NTS Training at Death Valley, CA. Been there the last 3 weeks. Getting ready to deploy to Afgan. Heard from the daughter-in-law last night that he hurt his back pretty good.

Must be from hauling those mortar base plates all over Iraq!

[PROCON]

Hey Navy Bro!!

It was a good weekend for being lazy and FReeping.

Are your weekend work days over?

[oldteen]

Wasn’t too bad here either. I been a slug today! Haven’t even left the house. How was your Special 30th B’day? ;o)

[ConorMacNessa]

Not sure if we'll be doing it again next weekend or not - In the interim, we can get all the OT we want.

Lamh Foistenach Abu!

[ConorMacNessa]

REST IN PEACE, FALLEN BROTHER!

SSgt. Brian F. Piercy, USA, 2nd Battalion, 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, KIA Afghanistan 20JUL2010

I have fought a good fight,
I have finished my course,
I have kept the faith.
2 Timothy 4:7 (KJV)

God Of Our Fathers



Rest in Peace, fallen brother, rest in peace!
We who remain hold you in high honor.
Rest, fallen brother, in this sacred precinct;
We who remain keep this place sacred.
Rest, fallen brother, among these, your comrades;
We who remain keep the watch.
Rest, fallen brother, among these who answered the Nation’s call;
We who remain press the fight forward in your name.
Rest, fallen brother, lay down thy burden;
We who remain have taken up the torch.
Rest in Peace, fallen brother, rest in eternal peace!



Taps

Lamh Foistenach Abu!

[oldteen]

Good for U! Will tomorrow be a rough day? (or all week?)

[BIGLOOK]

Aloha Teenster!

Sun and rain and two and a half days working on my computer. It's no way to spend the weekend.

[PROCON]

How was your Special 30th B’day? ;o)

Hee-hee. Add 29 years and you have the right age.

I'm not feeling old, anyway!

[ConorMacNessa]

Could be - I have a doctor's appt in the am - not sure how late I'll work tomorrow.

Lamh Foistenach Abu!

[PROCON]

OT can definately be good for the paycheck!

I work for the state educational system, OT comes rarely.

[oldteen]

God Bless SSG Dusty, MD. Death Valley...ACK! Might it keep him from deploying?

[ConorMacNessa]

REST IN PEACE, FALLEN BROTHER!

1st Lt. Michael L. Runyan, USA, 52nd Infantry, 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, KIA Iraq 21JUL2010

I have fought a good fight,
I have finished my course,
I have kept the faith.
2 Timothy 4:7 (KJV)

God Of Our Fathers



Rest in Peace, fallen brother, rest in peace!
We who remain hold you in high honor.
Rest, fallen brother, in this sacred precinct;
We who remain keep this place sacred.
Rest, fallen brother, among these, your comrades;
We who remain keep the watch.
Rest, fallen brother, among these who answered the Nation’s call;
We who remain press the fight forward in your name.
Rest, fallen brother, lay down thy burden;
We who remain have taken up the torch.
Rest in Peace, fallen brother, rest in eternal peace!



Taps

Lamh Foistenach Abu!

[oldteen]

I was just tryin' to make ya feel like a kid again :).

[Kathy in Alaska]

A PRAYER OF PROTECTION

The light of God surround you
The love of God enfold you
The power of God protect you
The presence of God watch over you
Wherever you are, God is,
And all is well.
Amen.

BLESS THIS HOUSE

 Bless this house O Lord we pray; Make it safe by night and day; 
Bless these walls so firm and stout, Keeping want and trouble out:
Bless the roof and chimneys tall, Let thy peace lie over all;
Bless this door, that it may prove ever open to joy and love.
Bless these windows shining bright, Letting in God's heav'nly light;
Bless the hearth a'blazing there, with smoke ascending like a prayer;
Bless the folk who dwell within, keep them pure and free from sin;
Bless us all that we may be Fit O Lord to dwell with thee;
Bless us all that one day we May dwell O Lord with thee. 

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