RIP John H. Baker, Jr. - Medal of Honor Recipient

From my generation...

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John F. Baker Jr., a retired Army master sergeant who was awarded the Medal of Honor during the Vietnam War for rescuing wounded soldiers from an ambush and leading a daring counterassault, has died at a hospital in Columbia, S.C.

On Nov. 5, 1966, Baker's unit was tasked with reinforcing a group of American soldiers pinned down near Dau Tieng, close to the Cambodian border.

As the U.S. soldiers advanced ... the jungle erupted in enemy fire. Camouflaged machine gun positions spit bullets that whizzed by Baker's head. Mortar rounds thumped the ground. Snipers in the trees picked off Americans hiding on the ground.

Baker ran toward the front with another soldier and helped destroy two enemy bunkers.

During the attack, the other soldier was mortally wounded. Baker killed four enemy snipers before carrying his comrade away from the ambush.

Returning to the battle, Baker was blown off his feet by an enemy grenade but recovered to make repeated trips through withering fire to evacuate wounded American soldiers...

As his Medal of Honor nomination was considered, Baker spent the rest of his tour as a “tunnel rat.” Armed with a flashlight and pistol, he explored the spider- and scorpion-infested subterranean network used by Viet Cong guerrillas.

Tunnel rats were either the ballsiest or the craziest - or both - soldiers I ever met. I've jumped out of perfectly good airplanes without a second thought, but there's no way on God's green earth you could get me to crawl around in those cramped, booby-trapped graves tunnels.

BTW - Baker was 5'2" tall and weighed 105 - an ideal physique for a tunnel rat.

Returning home in August 1967, Baker served as a drill instructor. One day, he was told he had an urgent phone call. It was President Lyndon B. Johnson on the line, inviting him to the White House to be awarded the Medal of Honor, the military's highest decoration for valor.

I was intimidated enough by my drill sergeant - a short, stocky, fireplug of a man who didn't talk or yell. He growled.

He had several rows of ribbons and awards, including a Purple Heart, a Bronze Star with V for Valor, and a Combat Infantry Badge. That's more than enough to impress a 19-year-old. But can you imagine a DI with the MOH? I would have been even more of a nervous wreck than I already was.

According to his citation, “Baker's selfless heroism, indomitable fighting spirit, and extraordinary gallantry were directly responsible for saving the lives of several of his comrades, and inflicting serious damage on the enemy.”

Joining Baker at the ceremony in the East Room was his company commander, then-Capt. Robert Foley, who also was awarded the Medal of Honor for bravery during the same battle that November day in 1966.

Foley, who retired from the Army as a lieutenant general in 2000, stood 6-foot-7 and played basketball at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point.

Johnson told Baker and Foley they reminded him of the cartoon characters Mutt and Jeff.

The mental image of Foley and Baker as Mutt and Jeff adds just the right, light touch to a sad yet inspiring story.

RIP John F. Baker Jr. - and thank you.

Thanks also to Robert Foley, and all who honorably served in those difficult times.