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Medal Of Honor Recipient Laid To Rest In Arlington National Cemetery
(September 25, 2010) | 
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Vernon Baker
Medal of Honor Recipient |
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WASHINGTON (Army News Service,
Sept. 24, 2010) -- A fallen World War II veteran
and Medal of Honor recipient was laid to rest
with full military honors at Arlington National
Cemetery, Sept. 24.
The ceremony for former Army 1st Lt. Vernon J.
Baker, who died July 13, was attended by his
widow, Heidy Baker, and retired Lt. Gen. Robert
F. Foley, also a Medal of Honor recipient.
Baker is one of seven African-Americans to be
awarded the Medal of Honor for service in WWII.
Of those, he was the only one to receive the
medal in person -- the others were awarded the
medal posthumously.
Baker, born in 1919, was awarded the Medal of
Honor for his heroic acts in 1945 in Viareggio,
Italy. |
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“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,” reads
Baker’s Medal of Honor citation. “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.”
The citation goes on to describe how Baker, the only
African-American officer in his company, voluntarily led a
battalion through an enemy mine field and withstood heavy
fire in order to take control of a castle stronghold.
Originally awarded Purple Heart, Bronze Star and
Distinguished Service Cross medals for his service, it would
be 52 years until Baker received full recognition for his
acts. |
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| Honor guard Soldiers from the 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment (The Old Guard) pay honors to 1st Lt. Vernon J. Baker during his burial at Arlington National Cemetery September 24, 2010. |
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In 1993 the government commissioned a study to learn why no
Medals of Honor had been awarded to African American
Soldiers who served during World War II. In 1997, President
Clinton awarded Baker the Medal of Honor, along with six
other African Americans.
“The only thing that I can say to those who are not here
with me is, 'Thank you, fellas, well done,'" Baker said
after the 1997 ceremony, according to a Washington Post
story. "'And I will always remember you.”
Today, there are 394 Medal of Honor recipients buried at
Arlington National Cemetery. | |
By Chelsea Place
Pentagram Newspaper
Copyright 2010
Reprinted from
Army News Service /
Army website
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