1942

William Baker

Countries: USA

War dead, WW2 i

Commemorated on a memorial as having died in WW2.

First Lieutenant William Henry Baker was born on 13 September 1920 in Temple, Bell County, Texas, USA, the son of William Henry Baker (1886-1976) and Mercedes Ernestine Baker née Giesbers (1890-1981).

He joined the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve as a Flying Officer in 1940 and was attached to No.133 Squadron at RAF Biggin Hill. He was credited with a 'probable' of a Focke-Wulf FW190 aeroplane on 26 April 1941 and both a 'damaged' FW190 and a 'destroyed' FW190 on 31 July 1941. On 22 August 1942, the three Eagle Squadrons were officially transferred from the RAF to the Eighth Air Force of the United States Army Air Force and he became a First Lieutenant in No.336 Fighter Squadron.

He was killed in action, aged 22 years, on 26 September 1942 when his aircraft was shot down by anti-aircraft fire at Morlaix, France. As his remains were never recovered he is commemorated on The Tablets of the Missing at the Cambridge American Cemetery and Memorial , Madingley Road, Cambridge, CB23 7PH. A memorial tablet also commemorates him at Bellwood Memorial Park Cemetery, 8575 Airport Road, Temple, Texas, USA. In addition to the Distinquished Flying Cross (US) he was also awarded the Air Medal and the Purple Heart.

Credit for this entry to: Andrew Behan.

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