Bronze Star Recipient Is Vet Of The Month
February 5, 2020 at 2:46 a.m.
Bronze Star Recipient Is Vet Of The Month
By David [email protected]
Terry Baker was born in Warsaw on Feb. 7, 1950, to Wilbur and Cora Baker. He has been a longtime resident of Warsaw, graduating from Warsaw High School in 1968. He enlisted in the U.S. Army right after his high school graduation, according to the biography read by County Veterans Affairs Officer Rich Maron at the county commissioners meeting Tuesday.
Baker quickly received orders to report for basic training at Ft. Campbell, Ky. From there, he would go to the Aberdeen Proving Grounds in Maryland for advanced infantry training. At Aberdeen, Baker was educated in fuel and electrical repair where he graduated tops in his class in March 1969.
He received orders for Vietnam and arrived in Lai Khe, Vietnam, in April 1969. Baker was assigned to the 101st Maintenance Battalion 1st Infantry, Maron said.
“Terry said he lucked out that the position he was to fill required he be at an E-5 Paygrade, so they instantly promoted him to E-5 after less than a year in service,” Maron said. “It took me six years to get to E-5 so that’s pretty impressive.”
Baker’s duties would include repairing and troubleshooting the fuel and electrical components of everything from M-60 tanks, personnel carriers, 2.5-ton trucks and jeeps at the base motor pool.
“Somewhere along the way, someone got the bright idea of creating a seven-man team and assigned (Baker) to a mechanized unit. Wherever they went, Terry went with them. He simply said, ‘Fun, fun fun,’” Maron said.
Baker was awarded the Bronze Star before he left Vietnam in April 1970. He was reassigned to a maintenance battalion in Ft. Knox, Ky. Shortly thereafter, Baker received orders to go to Kornwestheim, Germany, where he worked in the motorpool for the remainder of his enlistment. He processed out in August 1971.
After returning home, Baker soon married Kristin Fields, who since died. They had one daughter, Terra L. Baker.
In 1979, he married Linda S. Whitaker, and they have one son, Eric L. Baker.
Baker has four brothers, Jerry, Garry, Larry and Danny, who also served in the Marines in Vietnam; and three grandsons, Thane and Dorian Baker and Maximus Lumba.
Baker has been self-employed for most of his life. He owned a service station on Winona Avenue, and then went to Smith Ford as a service manager. From there, he worked at Southern Life Insurance, then to Judd Cook Chevrolet, which became Jack Ward Chevrolet, and then Baker returned to Smith Ford as a sales manager. Finally, he worked at Dee Munson’s car lot.
During the 1970s, Baker raced at the Warsaw Speedway and was track champion in his division in 1976.
Maron said somewhere around 1989, Baker and his then-wife Linda expanded a medical billing business, and for 10 years worked out of their home in Silver Lake.
In 2005, Baker opened his own real estate company, Kosciusko County Lakes Realty, which he still operates.
After a round of applause, Baker said, “I appreciate this opportunity, and I apologize to everyone here. I was going to wear my uniform, but the only thing that fit was my socks, so ...,” which drew laughter from the crowd.
He said the award was “indeed an honor” and he didn’t take it very lightly.
“I do know it wasn’t very popular coming back from Vietnam in my day, and you guys have done a lot to (rectify) that. And I say that on behalf of all Vietnam veterans and all the veterans in the Kosciusko County area. Thank you very much,” Baker said.
Latest News
E-Editions
Terry Baker was born in Warsaw on Feb. 7, 1950, to Wilbur and Cora Baker. He has been a longtime resident of Warsaw, graduating from Warsaw High School in 1968. He enlisted in the U.S. Army right after his high school graduation, according to the biography read by County Veterans Affairs Officer Rich Maron at the county commissioners meeting Tuesday.
Baker quickly received orders to report for basic training at Ft. Campbell, Ky. From there, he would go to the Aberdeen Proving Grounds in Maryland for advanced infantry training. At Aberdeen, Baker was educated in fuel and electrical repair where he graduated tops in his class in March 1969.
He received orders for Vietnam and arrived in Lai Khe, Vietnam, in April 1969. Baker was assigned to the 101st Maintenance Battalion 1st Infantry, Maron said.
“Terry said he lucked out that the position he was to fill required he be at an E-5 Paygrade, so they instantly promoted him to E-5 after less than a year in service,” Maron said. “It took me six years to get to E-5 so that’s pretty impressive.”
Baker’s duties would include repairing and troubleshooting the fuel and electrical components of everything from M-60 tanks, personnel carriers, 2.5-ton trucks and jeeps at the base motor pool.
“Somewhere along the way, someone got the bright idea of creating a seven-man team and assigned (Baker) to a mechanized unit. Wherever they went, Terry went with them. He simply said, ‘Fun, fun fun,’” Maron said.
Baker was awarded the Bronze Star before he left Vietnam in April 1970. He was reassigned to a maintenance battalion in Ft. Knox, Ky. Shortly thereafter, Baker received orders to go to Kornwestheim, Germany, where he worked in the motorpool for the remainder of his enlistment. He processed out in August 1971.
After returning home, Baker soon married Kristin Fields, who since died. They had one daughter, Terra L. Baker.
In 1979, he married Linda S. Whitaker, and they have one son, Eric L. Baker.
Baker has four brothers, Jerry, Garry, Larry and Danny, who also served in the Marines in Vietnam; and three grandsons, Thane and Dorian Baker and Maximus Lumba.
Baker has been self-employed for most of his life. He owned a service station on Winona Avenue, and then went to Smith Ford as a service manager. From there, he worked at Southern Life Insurance, then to Judd Cook Chevrolet, which became Jack Ward Chevrolet, and then Baker returned to Smith Ford as a sales manager. Finally, he worked at Dee Munson’s car lot.
During the 1970s, Baker raced at the Warsaw Speedway and was track champion in his division in 1976.
Maron said somewhere around 1989, Baker and his then-wife Linda expanded a medical billing business, and for 10 years worked out of their home in Silver Lake.
In 2005, Baker opened his own real estate company, Kosciusko County Lakes Realty, which he still operates.
After a round of applause, Baker said, “I appreciate this opportunity, and I apologize to everyone here. I was going to wear my uniform, but the only thing that fit was my socks, so ...,” which drew laughter from the crowd.
He said the award was “indeed an honor” and he didn’t take it very lightly.
“I do know it wasn’t very popular coming back from Vietnam in my day, and you guys have done a lot to (rectify) that. And I say that on behalf of all Vietnam veterans and all the veterans in the Kosciusko County area. Thank you very much,” Baker said.
Have a news tip? Email [email protected] or Call/Text 360-922-3092