Thomas A. Baker (June 25, 1916 – July 7, 1944) was a Sergeant in the
United States Army during World War II. He served with Alpha Company, 105th Infantry Regiment, 27th Infantry division in
the Philippines. He received a Medal of Honor posthumously for his actions in
combat on the island of Saipan.
For
conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond
the call of duty at Saipan, Mariana Islands, June 19 to July 7 1944. When his entire
company was held up by fire from automatic weapons and small-arms fire from
strongly fortified enemy positions that commanded the view of the company, Sgt.
(then Pvt.) Baker voluntarily took a bazooka and dashed alone to within 100
yards of the enemy. Through heavy rifle and machinegun fire that was directed at
him by the enemy, he knocked out the strong point, enabling his company to
assault the ridge. Some days later while his company advanced across the open
field flanked with obstructions and places of concealment for the enemy, Sgt.
Baker again voluntarily took up a position in the rear to protect the company
against surprise attack and came upon 2 heavily fortified enemy pockets manned
by 2 officers and 10 enlisted men which had been bypassed. Without regard for
such superior numbers, he unhesitatingly attacked and killed all of them. Five
hundred yards farther, he discovered 6 men of the enemy who had concealed
themselves behind our lines and destroyed all of them. On 7 July 1944, the
perimeter of which Sgt. Baker was a part was attacked from 3 sides by from 3,000
to 5,000 Japanese. During the early stages of this attack, Sgt. Baker was
seriously wounded but he insisted on remaining in the line and fired at the
enemy at ranges sometimes as close as 5 yards until his ammunition ran out.
Without ammunition and with his own weapon battered to uselessness from
hand-to-hand combat, he was carried about 50 yards to the rear by a comrade, who
was then himself wounded. At this point Sgt. Baker refused to be moved any
farther stating that he preferred to be left to die rather than risk the lives
of any more of his friends. A short time later, at his request, he was placed in
a sitting position against a small tree . Another comrade, withdrawing, offered
assistance. Sgt. Baker refused, insisting that he be left alone and be given a
soldier's pistol with its remaining 8 rounds of ammunition. When last seen
alive, Sgt. Baker was propped against a tree, pistol in hand, calmly facing the
foe. Later Sgt. Baker's body was found in the same position, gun empty, with 8
Japanese lying dead before him. His deeds were in keeping with the highest
traditions of the U.S. Army.
Kerodin
III
Kerodin
III
