World War II Honoree

John Drayton Baker

Branch of Service

U.S. Navy

Hometown

Plainfield, New Jersey

Honored By

John Peterson

ON THE MORNING OF 7 MAY 1942, DURING THE EARLY PHASE OF THE BATTLE OF THE CORAL SEA, HE FLEW ONE OF THE GRUMMAN F4F-3 WILDCAT FIGHTERS THAT ESCORTED THE PLANES OF TORPEDO SQUADRON (VT) 5 IN THEIR ATTACK ON THE JAPANESE CARRIER SHOHO. HE ASSISTED IN THE DESTRUCTION OF THREE FIGHTERS FROM THE ENEMY CARRIER’S COMBAT AIR PATROL AND ENABLED VT 5 TO ESCAPE UNSCATHED AFTER ITS SUCCESSFUL ATTACK AND TO RETURN TO YORKTOWN WITHOUT LOSS. LATE THAT AFTERNOON, PLANES FROM THE JAPANESE CARRIERS ZUIKAKU AND SHOKAKU ATTEMPTED A DUSK ATTACK ON TASK FORCE 17, BUT RAN INTO INCLEMENT WEATHER AND THE COMBAT AIR PATROLS FROM YORKTOWN AND USS LEXINGTON (CV-2). ONE OF THE PILOTS WHO SCRAMBLED IN THE WANING DAYLIGHT TO INTERCEPT THE JAPANESE, HE HELPED TO BREAK UP THE ATTACK. SKILLFULLY USING HIS HOMING GEAR, HE GUIDED VF 42’S AIRBORNE PILOTS BACK TO THE SHIP. HOWEVER, AS YORKTOWN’S GUNNERS THOUGHT THE CIRCLING PLANES TO BE JAPANESE AND OPENED FIRE, VF 42’S PILOTS SCATTERED TO AVOID DESTRUCTION. THEREAFTER, HE PROVED UNABLE TO PICK UP THE CARRIER’S HOMING SIGNAL, AND BECAME DISORIENTED. DESPITE THE DETERMINED EFFORTS OF YORKTOWN TO GUIDE THE YOUNG PILOT BACK TO THE SHIP BY RADIO, HE WAS NEVER SEEN AGAIN. RECEIVED A NAVY CROSS, POSTHUMOUSLY, FOR HIS ACHIEVEMENTS DURING THE CORAL SEA ACTION. USS BAKER DE-190 WAS NAMED IN HIS HONOR.