Enemies of Liberty are ruthless. To own your Liberty, you'd better come harder than your enemies..

Friday, January 18, 2013

Do you have what it takes to die well...

 
Thomas A. Baker (June 25, 1916 – July 7, 1944) was a Sergeant in the United States Army during World War II. He served with Alpha Company, 105th Infantry Regiment, 27th Infantry division in the Philippines. He received a Medal of Honor posthumously for his actions in combat on the island of Saipan.

For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty at Saipan, Mariana Islands, June 19 to July 7 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 machinegun 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.

Kerodin
III

5 comments:

  1. It was said, "... uncommon valor was a common virtue." Flt Adm Nimitz

    Tears come when I read accounts like this because I realize they did what they did on the underlying principle of not allowing the enemy of Liberty to survive. They are embodiment of the oath that closes our Declaration of Independence. I can do what I do today on their account which makes me indebted to them.

    My prayer is to have even half that kind of strength when the time comes for me to pony up. By God and His Grace, I will.

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  2. Until you actually face the prospect of mortal combat, engage in it for days on end knowing full well that you may be killed at any moment, desperately trying to maintain fire and mental discipline in your subordinates while simultaneously trying to maintain your own, focusing on the objectives to mission accomplishment, the mental effects of fear, adrenaline and exhaustion combine into a toxic cocktail that cannot be explained, only experience. Many in the ruckus will not cope...

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  3. Mr K, in addition to my comment above, I have a few things to add. Let me tell you a few things the Patriots are going to encounter; Boots "squishing" soaked in blood rendering first aid from a "gusher". Fingernails and cuticles impermiated with dried blood that mechanics call "permagrease". A combat blouse drenched in blood that starts to sour and spoil within hours of hot exposure...You get the picture, I know you do. Does everyone else?

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  4. A 100 rd belt of 308 Winchester seldoms get any attention, even if followed by an AT-4. Mission Creep I guess...Gotta hand to these guys, Resilient....

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  5. A 100 rd belt of 308 Winchester out of a 240B or a shot out of a coupla of AT-4"s doesn't scare these for shit...
    Hell, if the ruthless Russians couldn't do it, what makes anybody think the spineless Americans can do it with current ROE.....

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