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| Gerald Baker was on the USS Hugh W. Hadley when it was attacked by dozens of kamikaze planes. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/44241118/gerald-wallace-baker https://www.facebook.com/USSHadley/ |
Gerald Wallace Baker never had a chance to reach 100 years old today. Instead, he sacrificed his life for our freedom.
He was born on August 23, 1918 in Illinois. His parents Lewis and Erma were also both born in Illinois. Gerald had an older brother and three younger sisters.
He and his brother enlisted in the navy in September 1939. Gerald became a water tender first class. His brother (who had the unusual first name of Friend) was also a water tender first class. They served on the same ship up until 1944 when they were mustered onto different ships. Gerald was transferred to the destroyer USS Hugh W. Hadley which was commissioned in November 1944.
Hugh W. Hadley was sent to Okinawa and escorted LST's toward the beach on the day of the invasion, April 1, 1945. Later it was given anti-submarine and radar picket duty.
On May 11 Hugh W. Hadley and the destroyer Evans spent two hours under constant attack from 150 kamikaze planes. After Evans was hit and became dead in the water, all the attention of the enemy turned to Hugh W. Hadley. At 0920 ten kamikazes simultaneously attacked the ship. All of the planes were shot down but two still hit the ship and another bomb hit too. Hugh W. Hadley survived the attack but 30 of its crew were lost including Gerald Baker.
His grave is at Atlanta Cemetery in Atlanta, Illinois.
Last year on this date I profiled Harvey Blonigen, 3rd Armored Division. You can read about Harvey here.
On behalf of the fallen, if you would like to see more people become aware of this project to honor the WW2 fallen, be sure to share with others on Twitter, Facebook, etc. Thanks for your interest!
I created this video to explain why I started this project: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vXt8QA481lY.
Please consider joining the public Facebook group to increase the exposure of this project. Go to: WW2 Fallen 100
Nicely done. Thank you for giving these fallen heroes their attention due. My uncle, Louis Veesenmeyrer S1/c was among the 30 men who died 11 May 1945 on the USS Hugh W. Hadley. My book Kamikaze Destroyer tells their full story.
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