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World War II Honoree

World War II Veteran

Paul Gerald Baker

Branch of Service

U.S. Navy

Hometown

Joy, Illinois

Honored By

John Peterson

Branch Seal
Activity During WWII

ON APRIL 14, 1942, WHILE SERVING WITH FIGHTER SQUADRON 2 (VF-2) ON BOARD THE AIRCRAFT CARRIER USS LEXINGTON (CV-2), WAS APPOINTED LIEUTENANT, JUNIOR GRADE, FOR TEMPORARY SERVICE. DURING THE BATTLE OF THE CORAL SEA, DOWNED THREE JAPANESE PLANES AND BADLY DAMAGED A FOURTH IN THE ENGAGEMENTS ON MAY 7, 1942, BUT FAILED TO RETURN FROM HIS LAST MISSION. HEROISM AND DEVOTION TO DUTY AT CORAL SEA WON HIM THE POSTHUMOUS AWARD OF THE NAVY CROSS. THE DESTROYER ESCORT USS PAUL G. BAKER (DE-755) WAS NAMED FOR HIM, BUT HER CONSTRUCTION WAS CANCELLED IN 1944. THE DESTROYER ESCORT USS PAUL G. BAKER (DE-642), IN COMMISSION FROM 1944 TO 1947, THEN WAS NAMED IN HIS HONOR.