Baker Jr., Baxter

Major Baxter Baker Served in the North Carolina National Guard for nine years before entering service with the Regular Army in 1940. He then spent 2 years with the 30th Division at Fort Jackson, SC then was transferred to the 84th Division with whom he served in Europe with during World War II. During his time with the 84th he served as the commanding officer of a heavy weapons company with which he participated in the Battle of the Bulge (for which he was awarded the Bronze Star) and Elbe River Crossing(for which he war awarded a Oak Leaf Cluster for the Bronze Star). After the War he served in Germany with occupational forces the later returned as an ROTC instructor for Presbyterian College (Clinton, SC). After, he served 2 years as instructor in the weapons department of the Infantry school at Fort Benning, GA. Baker was given orders for Korea and was in country by the last week of April 1951. On May 18th, 1951 Baker was declared Missing in Action.