John F. Baker, Jr.
| John Franklin Baker, Jr. | |
|---|---|
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Sgt. John F. Baker Jr.
|
|
| Born |
October 30, 1945 Davenport, Iowa |
| Died | January 20, 2012 (aged 66) Columbia, South Carolina |
| Place of burial | Arlington National Cemetery |
| Allegiance | United States of America |
| Service/branch |
 United States Army
|
| Years of service | 1966–1989 |
| Rank | Master Sergeant |
| Unit | 27th Infantry Regiment, 25th Infantry Division |
| Battles/wars | Vietnam War |
| Awards | |
John Franklin Baker, Jr. (October 30, 1945 – January 20, 2012) was a United States Army Master Sergeant who served in the Vietnam War and received the Medal of Honor.
Baker was born in Davenport, Iowa, and attended Moline High School from 1963 to 1966. At 5’ 1”, he was a gymnast before joining the army. He became a "tunnel rat" in Vietnam, a soldier who entered Viet Cong tunnels searching out the enemy and destroying their caches of war material. Baker made the military his career, retiring in 1989. He then began working as a computer analyst at a Veterans Hospital in South Carolina. In addition to serving as the Vice-President of the Congressional Medal of Honor Society, he served as a member on the Nation's Monuments and Cemeteries Committee.
In 2008, the I-280 Bridge, connecting Davenport, Iowa with Rock Island, Illinois, was renamed the Sergeant John F. Baker, Jr. Bridge in his honor.
Baker suffered from heart problems in the last years of his life and began using oxygen in 2010. He died aged 66 on January 20, 2012, after collapsing at his Northeast Richland home.
Baker entered the U.S. Army in Moline, Illinois, serving as a private in A Company, 2nd Battalion of the 27th Infantry Regiment, 25th Division. In Vietnam, he took part in Operation Attleboro which began in September 1966. On November 5, 1966, Baker and his unit were called to assist another squad who were taking enemy fire. En route, A Company began to take fire and lost their lead soldier. Together with two other soldiers, Baker took over the head of the column and assisted in destroying two enemy positions. They were moving to take two others when a hand grenade knocked Baker off of his feet.
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