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Every weekday for 110 straight days we will feature a different living recipient of the Medal of Honor. These are the men who have received their nation's highest military honor. We are archiving all the stories here. Brian is a board member of the Congressional Medal of Honor Foundation. The words and photos are courtesy of Artisan Books, publishers of "Medal of Honor: Portraits of Valor Beyond the Call of Duty" by Peter Collier with photographs by Nick Del Calzo.
JOHN F. BAKER, JR.
Private First Class, U.S. Army Company A, 2nd Battalion, 27th Infantry, 25th Infantry Division
Private First Class John Baker had been in several small actions in Vietnam, but they were nothing like that what he saw on November 5, 1966, in Tay Ninh Province near the Cambodian border. Part of the 27th Infantry, his Company A had been ordered to assist another company that was pinned down by the Vietcong, whose numbers had been growing throughout the battle. By the time Company A arrived late on November 4, and set up for the night, there were 3,000 enemy soldiers in the area.
Baker's unit moved out at dawn to relieve its embattled sister company. As he entered the dense jungle, Baker couldn't see the enemy but knew they were near. Then machine-gun and mortar fire broke out from Vietcong soldiers who had tied themselves onto the limbs of trees and hidden in a concrete bunker complex in the thick undergrowth. When Baker saw the lead man in his column go down, he immediately moved up and with another soldier, charged two of the bunkers where the heaviest fire was coming from. The man with him was shot, his arm hanging by a shred of flesh. In an effort to protect him, Baker killed four enemy snipers, then dragged his mortally wounded comrade to safety.
After grabbing for more ammunition, Baker returned to the thick of the fighting. He was knocked down by a grenade explosion, but he got back up and with one of his men, assaulted another bunker. When the GI was hit and dropped his machine gun, Baker picked it up and attacked a fourth bunker, killing several more Vietcong. As he was trying to evacuate the fallen soldier, they both came under fire from more snipers. Baker shot four of them; then, finally out of ammunition, he dragged two more GIs off the battlefield. At the end of the two-hour-long battle, he had killed 10 Vietcong, destroyed six machine-gun bunkers, and saved eight of his comrades.
The day John Baker left Vietnam in August 1967, he heard that he was to receive the Medal of Honor, but he refused to believe it. However, the enlisted men he had fought alongside that day in Tay Ninh had indeed written a recommendation and pushed it up through the ranks. On May 1, 1968, President Lyndon Johnson awarded the medal to him and to Capt. Robert Foley, who had commanded the American action that day.
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A bridge to education
MEN LIKE JOHN IS WHAT THIS COUNTRY IS MADE OF. GOD BLESS HIM AND HIS FAMILY.
WILLIAM ENGLERT (Sent Jun 19, 2007 3:23:28 PM)
I salute your bravery under fire, PFC Baker. May God always watch over you. Bless you.
1SG Bob Strader, USA (Ret) (Sent Jun 12, 2007 11:21:40 PM)
Way to go, there wre to many good men not recognized for their utter diregard for their own safety God BLESS you
Ernie Taylor 101st airborn 68-69 (Sent Jun 12, 2007 12:38:36 AM)
WOW INDEED!! JOHN BAKER GOD BLESS YOU. i FEEL HUMBLE AND PROUD TO HAVE READ YOUIR STORY. I would rather meet you than Eric Clapton and he is my music idol. May this country do you right!
(Sent Jun 8, 2007 11:13:39 AM)
I was stationed with John in the early 80's with the 25th ID. Not once did he ever talk about his actions that earned him the MOH. BUt he a great Sergeant and a good friend. What a great and humble person.
Earl L. Marsh, Casa Grande, Arizona (Sent Jun 6, 2007 1:00:46 PM)
A true Americam Hero.We honor and love heros that give their lives for The United States of AMERICA.Thank you PFC John Baker for saving the lives of all your fighting buddys.God Bless You the rest of your life.
(Sent May 29, 2007 11:32:45 AM)
Where I stay, I am very lucky to live in a country that is war free. I have read about alot of soldiers on the net who have lost their lives and I have to say that it made me very sad just looking at there photographs, knowing that the person that I am looking at have sacrifised his life to fight for a better life, not just his fellow countrymen but for someone else living in another country. Today I have seen young men who lost there lives, who unselfishly have left behind everything he owns and everyone he loved to gave there lives, there purpose, there meaning, there unselfish lives for the greater good, May God rest their soul's in peace. God Bless you HEROE'S
Ylando Gallant, Uitenhage, South Africa (Sent May 29, 2007 9:20:26 AM)
it is time to stand up for these great men. also lets not let this administration lower their metals my making up storys like linch and tilman. not saying anything against them but they were putting lench in for the metal of honer. and tilman got silver star just to try to get more kids felling patriotic and join up and believe in his fairtail
james hicks sophia wv (Sent May 29, 2007 1:17:08 AM)
Why do we wait till days like today to honor men like this and those who have been dying recently. We should be doing this everyday all year round. We should be honored to have such men fighting for our country.
(Sent May 29, 2007 12:46:25 AM)
The men who have won Medals of Honor are the true heroes of this country, not the baseball or football player.
God bless our soldiers, sailors, airmen and marines who daily put their lives on the line for us. We owe them much more than words can describe.
Al Conetto, Walla Walla, WA (Sent May 28, 2007 2:34:39 PM)
Thank you,
Billy Spencer, michigan (Sent May 28, 2007 1:34:06 PM)
I don't know that I would have been able to do what PFC Baker did under such circumstances. I know he doesn't feel he deserves it, but it is men and women like him who define the term "hero".
Stephanie Umbro, Maine (Sent May 28, 2007 12:10:53 PM)
Thank you PFC Baker
SSgt Mueller, Afghanistan (Sent May 28, 2007 7:39:31 AM)
Thank you John Baker. What I say to you is far from enough but it is from the heart of a fellow GI and a nation that does care.
(Sent May 28, 2007 1:13:43 AM)
Thanks and welcome home.
Jim Kelly, Warren Center, PA 18851 (Sent May 26, 2007 11:43:42 PM)
Real heroes have something inside of them, an instinct I guess. They don't seek to be heroes. Heroism finds them. People like John Baker don't get enough attention in our country. Sadly, "heroes" are people who wear other uniforms and equate courage with playing long football games. Thank you, John Baker, and all the other men and women wearing a military uniform somewhere in the world.
Michael Fanelli, Millville, Massachusetts (Sent May 26, 2007 6:57:02 AM)
Private First Class John Baker another true dedicated soldier who fought the enemy and saved his fellow soldiers. Then he refused to believe he was going to be awarded the medal. That shows such humbleness and true dedication to serving his country. A fine American hero soldier and Medal of Honor recipient. God Bless him!
Lisa McNeil,Alpharetta,Georgia (Sent May 25, 2007 7:11:09 PM)
NO OTHER WORDS TO SAY BUT "WOW"!!!
mike jones sterling, colorado (Sent May 25, 2007 6:51:05 PM)
WOW!!!
Michael Liebmann, Atlanta, GA (Sent May 25, 2007 4:41:54 PM)
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