Medal of Honor: Thomas A. Baker – World War II, June 19 to July 7, 1944

Thomas A. Baker
Sergeant, U.S. Army
Conflict: World War II
Unit: Company A, 105th Infantry Regiment, 27th Infantry Division
Date of Action: June 19 to July 7, 1944
Location: Saipan, Mariana Islands

Summary of Action:
On the shattered volcanic island of Saipan, where jungle and jagged rock masked thousands of entrenched Japanese troops, Sergeant Thomas A. Baker wrote a final chapter of courage so fierce, so resolute, that it defied death itself.

It began on June 19, 1944. Baker’s company was pinned down by enemy machine guns dominating a ridge. Without orders, Baker grabbed a bazooka, sprinted alone across 100 yards of open terrain, and obliterated the position. His daring cleared the way for the assault to resume.

But that was only the beginning.

Days later, Baker again placed himself in the rear of his company’s movement to guard against enemy ambush. Alone, he encountered two Japanese strongpoints—two officers, ten soldiers. He killed them all. Continuing forward, he discovered six more enemy soldiers hiding behind American lines. None survived the encounter.

Then came July 7—the largest banzai charge of the Pacific War. As 3,000 to 5,000 Japanese troops stormed U.S. lines from three directions, Baker stood his ground. Amid hand-to-hand combat and point-blank exchanges, he was gravely wounded. Still, he fought on, refusing evacuation. When his ammunition ran dry and his rifle was shattered, a fellow soldier carried him 50 yards to the rear. That man was shot.

Baker ordered them to leave him.

Propped against a tree, mortally wounded and refusing to endanger another life, he asked only for a pistol—with its final eight rounds. That’s how they found him: back against the tree, weapon empty, eight Japanese dead at his feet.

Sergeant Thomas A. Baker didn’t die in retreat. He didn’t die surrounded. He died defiant. Standing. Unyielding. Alone—but not forgotten.

Medal of Honor Citation:
*"For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty at Saipan, Mariana Islands, 19 June to 7 July 1944.

When his entire company was held up by fire from automatic weapons and small-arms fire from strongly fortified enemy positions that commanded the view of the company, Sgt. (then Pvt.) Baker voluntarily took a bazooka and dashed alone to within 100 yards of the enemy. Through heavy rifle and machine gun fire that was directed at him by the enemy, he knocked out the strong point, enabling his company to assault the ridge.

Some days later while his company advanced across the open field flanked with obstructions and places of concealment for the enemy, Sgt. Baker again voluntarily took up a position in the rear to protect the company against surprise attack and came upon 2 heavily fortified enemy pockets manned by 2 officers and 10 enlisted men which had been bypassed. Without regard for such superior numbers, he unhesitatingly attacked and killed all of them. Five hundred yards farther, he discovered 6 men of the enemy who had concealed themselves behind our lines and destroyed all of them.

On 7 July 1944, the perimeter of which Sgt. Baker was a part was attacked from 3 sides by from 3,000 to 5,000 Japanese. During the early stages of this attack, Sgt. Baker was seriously wounded but he insisted on remaining in the line and fired at the enemy at ranges sometimes as close as 5 yards until his ammunition ran out. Without ammunition and with his own weapon battered to uselessness from hand-to-hand combat, he was carried about 50 yards to the rear by a comrade, who was then himself wounded.

At this point Sgt. Baker refused to be moved any farther stating that he preferred to be left to die rather than risk the lives of any more of his friends. A short time later, at his request, he was placed in a sitting position against a small tree. Another comrade, withdrawing, offered assistance. Sgt. Baker refused, insisting that he be left alone and be given a soldier’s pistol with its remaining 8 rounds of ammunition.

When last seen alive, Sgt. Baker was propped against a tree, pistol in hand, calmly facing the foe. Later Sgt. Baker’s body was found in the same position, gun empty, with 8 Japanese lying dead before him. His deeds were in keeping with the highest traditions of the U.S. Army."*