[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 69 (Thursday, May 16, 1996)]
[Senate]
[Page S5205]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       TRIBUTE TO VERNON J. BAKER

 Mr. CRAIG. Mr. President, it is indeed a pleasure and a 
privilege for me to speak today about the accomplishments of one of my 
fellow Idahoans, Vernon J. Baker. Vernon Baker is one of seven African-
Americans whose heroic actions in World War II are being belatedly 
recognized. Vernon has been nominated for this Nation's highest award--
the Congressional Medal of Honor.
  When 1st Lt. Vernon Baker awoke on the morning of April 5, 1945, I am 
confident he did not begin the day thinking, ``Today, I am going to be 
a hero.'' I am more confident he began that morning thinking, ``Lord, 
give me the strength to get me and my men through another day.''
  In the smokey grayness of predawn, artillery rained on the German 
mountain stronghold called ``Hill X'' near Castle Aghinolfi, Italy. 
First Lieutenant Baker was a platoon leader of 25 men and a recent 
graduate of Officer Candidate School. Standing five foot five and 
weighing in at 139 pounds, he led his men to the south side of the 
draw, within 250 yards of the castle. Seeing a telescope pointing out 
of the narrow slit of the bunker, he ordered his men to stay down and 
he crawled to the opening, stuck in his M-1 and fired until the rifle 
was empty. When he looked inside, one of the two dead Germans was still 
slumped in his chair. Baker then stumbled upon a camouflaged machine 
gun nest where he killed two more Germans.
  As he reported to his company commander, Captain John Runyan, who 
like all his superiors was white, he was hit in the head by a ``potato 
masher'' hand grenade. It failed to explode and Baker quickly shot and 
killed the German who had thrown the grenade. While his unit was under 
heavy fire, he continued into the canyon alone. Discovering a hidden 
entrance to another dugout, he blasted it open with a grenade and 
dashed inside, killing two more German soldiers with a discarded 
machine gun he had picked up off the ground.
  Captain Runyan ordered a withdrawal of the unit and told Baker he was 
going for reinforcements. That was the last time Lieutenant Baker saw 
Captain Runyan. The reinforcements never arrived. At the end of the 
battle, Baker regrouped the seven survivors of the 25 man platoon. The 
unit had killed 26 Germans, destroyed six machine gun nests, two 
observer posts, and four dugouts.
  Vernon Baker was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross on July 4, 
1945, for his actions that day. The Distinguished Service Cross is the 
Nation's second highest military award. On the citation for the award, 
Baker is cited for ``outstanding courage'' and ``daring leadership.''
  Nearly 50 years later, during an Army review of medals awarded during 
World War II, the absence of a single African-American from the list of 
Congressional Medal of Honor winners was duly noted. This began the 
process to determine if African-Americans had not received the Nation's 
highest award merely because of racial bias rather than military record 
under fire. Seven Distinguished Service Medal awards were reevaluated 
and have now been recommended for upgrade to the Congressional Medal of 
Honor. Vernon J. Baker is the only surviving nominee from this 
illustrious group.
  Mr. President, on behalf of a grateful nation, I once more want to 
thank Vernon J. Baker for his courageous actions, on that April day so 
long ago.

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