World War II Honoree

Clarence E. Baker

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Honored By

E. E. Baker

ENLISTED AUGUST 3, 1940 IN THE U.S. ARMY MEDICAL DEPARTMENT. BECAUSE OF HIS LEADERSHIP POTENTIAL HE WAS SELECTED TO ATTEND OFFICER CANDIDATE SCHOOL AND RECEIVED A COMMISSION AS A SECOND LIEUTENANT ON OCTOBER 31, 1942, IN THE INFANTRY. UPON COMPLETION OF HIS INFANTRY OFFICER TRAINING AT FT BENNING, GEORGIA, HE WAS ASSIGNED TO THE 44TH INFANTRY DIVISION, 71ST INFANTRY REGIMENT AT FT LEWIS, WASHINGTON. BEFORE BEING SHIPPED OUT TO EUROPE FOR THE WAR HE PARTICIPATED IN A 3 MONTH LONG MANEUVER EXERCISE IN LOUISIANA TO PREPARE TO FIGHT THE GERMANS. ON SEPTEMBER 5, 1944 HE DEPARTED THE UNITED STATES AND ARRIVED IN CHERBOURG, FRANCE ON SEPTEMBER 15, 1944. HE FOUGHT IN THE NORTHERN FRANCE, RHINELAND, AND ARDENNES-ALSACE CAMPAIGNS. HE WAS WOUNDED ON DECEMBER 20 AND THEN AGAIN ON DECEMBER 23, 1944 IN A BATTLE NEAR SARREGUEMINES, FRANCE ON THE GERMAN BORDER, ALONG THE BLIES RIVER. BY THE WARS END HIS OUTFIT HAD PUSHED THROUGH SOUTHERN GERMANY AND INTO AUSTRIA. AFTER A BRIEF PERIOD OF OCCUPATION DUTY AT CAMP SCHLATT NEAR IMST, AUSTRIA HE RETURNED TO THE UNITED STATES ON JULY 20, 1945. HIS DIVISION WAS SENT TO CAMP CHAFFEE, ARKANSAS TO PREPARE FOR COMBAT IN THE PACIFIC. FORTUNATELY THE WAR WITH JAPAN ENDED BEFORE HE AND HIS OUTFIT COULD BE SENT. HE WAS DISCHARGED FROM THE ARMY AS A FIRST LIEUTENANT AT CAMP CHAFFEE. HIS AWARDS INCLUDE THE COMBAT INFANTRYMAN BADGE, 2 PURPLE HEARTS, A BRONZE STAR, THE AMERICAN DEFENSE MEDAL, AMERICA CAMPAIGN MEDAL, THE EUROPEAN CAMPAIGN MEDAL WITH THREE BATTLE STARS, THE WWII VICTORY MEDAL AND MEDAL OF OCCUPATION.