FReeper Canteen ~ Hall of Heroes: John P Baca ~ 06 March 2017

Serving The Best Troops and Veterans In The World !! | StarCMC and The Canteen Crew

[Kathy in Alaska]

Our Troops Rock!  Thank you for all you do!

For the freedom you enjoyed yesterday... Thank the Veterans who served in The United States Armed Forces.

Looking forward to tomorrow's freedom? Support The United States Armed Forces Today!

~ Hall of Heroes ~

John P. Baca

 

           

John Philip Baca (born January 10, 1949) is a former United States Army soldier and a Vietnam War veteran. He was awarded the Medal of Honor, the highest decoration of the United States Armed Forces, for his actions in combat.

Baca was born on January 10, 1949, in Providence, Rhode Island. He was raised in San Diego, California. Baca was a troubled boy who was often arrested and ran into trouble with the law. After he had been released from the California Youth Authority in late 1966, he tried to enlist in the United States Army, however he could not because he was still on parole.

Baca was drafted into the United States Army on June 10, 1968.

By February 10, 1970, he was stationed in Vietnam as a Specialist Four with Company D of the 1st Battalion, 12th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division. On that day, in Phuoc Long Province, he was serving on a recoilless rifle team when the lead platoon of his company was ambushed. Baca led his team forward through intense fire to reach the besieged platoon. When a fragmentation grenade was tossed into their midst, he "unhesitatingly, and with complete disregard for his own safety," covered it with his helmet and then laid his body over the helmet, smothering the blast and saving eight fellow soldiers from severe injury or death.

Baca survived his wounds and was formally awarded the Medal of Honor by President Richard M. Nixon on March 2, 1971. Two other soldiers in Company D, Allen J. Lynch and Rodney J. Evans, had previously earned the medal.

In 1990, Baca returned to Vietnam with ten other soldiers of the Veterans Vietnam Restoration Project. The group spent eight weeks working alongside former North Vietnamese Army soldiers building a health clinic in a village north of Hanoi.

Baca rarely speaks publicly about the events for which he was awarded the medal. However, he prefers to recall an event that occurred on Christmas Day, 1969. He was walking ahead of his unit, acting as "point," when he surprised a young North Vietnamese soldier sitting alone on top of an enemy bunker in the jungle. He saw that the soldier could not reach his rifle quickly and, not wanting to shoot him, yelled in Vietnamese for him to surrender. Not only was he able to take his "Christmas gift" alive and unharmed, the young man, twenty years later, was among the Vietnamese that Baca worked with building the clinic in 1990.

Baca remains active in social causes, particularly related to Vietnam veterans issues and the plight of the homeless.

In 2002, a park was named in his honor in Huntington Beach, California. At the park's dedication on April 27, John read the following poem he penned for the occasion:

“It's a playground for the young, a walk for the dog,

These grounds will be blessed by the rain and the sun, free from the smog.

A refuge for the birds vacationing south, "Let's visit Baca's Park."

Soon it won't be long for all to enjoy their song! My buddies and friends have joined me for this delight.

Some unknown evenings I may be sitting upon my bench enjoying the quiet of the night.

What is a park? A site of beauty, a place to rest.

A place to stay, leave one's worries, also leave behind their stress of the day.

A solitude visitor can be still, enjoy the quiet of their thought.

One can hear the voices in the breeze, trees are clapping their hands, with the movement of the leaves.

All humanity can find a space. All are welcomed to a safe, you might say sacred place.

These grounds will be a witness for families, lovers and friends who picnic, play, hold hands and maybe embrace.

It will be filled with harmony and song and the smile of God's grace.

One last thing before I depart and be on my way,

I sat on the bench and a swing in the park that was dedicated in my honor and in my name on this beautiful day. ”

—John Philip Baca

 

Baca's official Medal of Honor citation reads:

For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. Sp4c. Baca, Company D, distinguished himself while serving on a recoilless rifle team during a night ambush mission. A platoon from his company was sent to investigate the detonation of an automatic ambush device forward of his unit's main position and soon came under intense enemy fire from concealed positions along the trail. Hearing the heavy firing from the platoon position and realizing that his recoilless rifle team could assist the members of the besieged patrol, Sp4c. Baca led his team through the hail of enemy fire to a firing position within the patrol's defensive perimeter. As they prepared to engage the enemy, a fragmentation grenade was thrown into the midst of the patrol. Fully aware of the danger to his comrades, Sp4c. Baca unhesitatingly, and with complete disregard for his own safety, covered the grenade with his steel helmet and fell on it as the grenade exploded, thereby absorbing the lethal fragments and concussion with his body. His gallant action and total disregard for his personal well-being directly saved 8 men from certain serious injury or death. The extraordinary courage and selflessness displayed by Sp4c. Baca, at the risk of his life, are in the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit on him, his unit, and the U.S. Army.

Please remember, the Canteen is family friendly and we exist to support and honor our troops and their families, as well as our Allies Troops and theirs.  Thank you to every Soldier, Sailor, Airman, Marine and Coast Guardsman out there for doing what you do to keep us safe.  We are ever in your debt.  And thank you, too, to the families and friends who support them.  God bless our troops.

[luvie]

I would LOVE to have seen the look on those coyotes’ faces when they turned that corner. Reckon it was sort of like Wile E Coyote? heh-heh!

[radu]

I’d love to have seen it too! LOL! He said the first one in line almost ran into his legs before it realized he was there. Then it yelped and they all turned and ran off yelping.

I’m STILL giggling about it. He’s getting a laugh out of it now but he was still rattled wen he came in. It didn’t help that his head was pounding from that smack into the mirror. He hit it hard enough to break it. OUCH!

[E.G.C.]

A very pleasant good Monday morning to everyone at the Canteen and to all our military at home and abroad. Thanks for your service to our country.

((HUGS))Good morning, Ladies. Thanks for this morning's thread, Star.

[Kathy in Alaska]

Most of the day went pretty well....tonight she wants me to reread Christmas letters and respond. I’ve done all that twice and my sister once when she was here.

BUT, when she handed me the letters they are from the 90s....then having to explain over and over and over. I think I finally got through that the sender died a lot of years ago, they weren’t Christmas letters, and there was no one to respond to.

[radu]

Oh boy. Back on those Christmas letters again? And these are from the ‘90s? Yikes!
At least the first part of the day went well, giving you a little break. You had a long week.

[Kathy in Alaska]

OMG!!!! Not good that the coyotes kept chasing closer and closer to buildings and people.

Wise move keeping the cats in.

[radu]

We figure these must be coy-dogs - - half coyote and half domestic dog. He said they were larger than normal coyotes and there are several in the area. We had a huge one around the farm a couple of years ago that was as large as a German shepherd. One of Hubby’s buddies nailed that one.

The dangerous thing about them is the dog in them makes them less timid. They’ll get closer to houses than coyotes will and they have been known to attack people. Hubby was working underneath a car one night with the garage doors open and heard a noise. There were four coy-dogs sitting in the doorway looking at him. He keeps a pistol on him when he works out there at night and he popped a couple of shots off at them.

Everything happened so fast tonight, he didn’t have a chance to the same. They hightailed it out of there too fast.

Time for his buddies to start coming back here at dusk or dawn to pick them off when they cross the back fields. No crops right now to block the view. I want them GONE!

[Kathy in Alaska]

Good morning, E...((HUGS))...hope hunting was good over the weekend.

You and Bo have a great Monday.

[Kathy in Alaska]

GONE sounds like a great idea....sooner than later.

[Kathy in Alaska]

Prayers for Arrowhead's recovery, and in his absence....

[Kathy in Alaska]

[E.G.C.]

Monday Morning Coffee Bump.

No gophers or moles yesterday but Bo sure enjoyed it out there.

[Kathy in Alaska]

Good morning/afternoon/evening/night Troops, wherever you are.

Thank you for doing your part to help keep all of us free and safe.

Thanks, unique, for the pastries.

Coffee is always on........

How about a donut?

Cookies?

Veggies?

Sandwich?

[Kathy in Alaska]

God bless and keep safe our troops worldwide.

Good night.

Statler Brothers ~ How Great Thou Art

[radu]

You bet! We still cuss the wildlife jerks for bringing them back to the area after farmers spent years eradicating them. They love going after livestock. And pets.

[Kathy in Alaska]

Dig a deep hole...stupid wildlife jerks for sure. None of them are farmers.

[radu]

Aaaaaah, why bother wasting energy to dig a deep hole? There are plenty of buzzards around here and they’d enjoy the free meals. :-)

[SandRat]

No time for COFFEE yet!

Gotta feed Charlie his breakfast first.

[beachn4fun]

Good morning, Canteen.

Good morning to our

AWESOME

Military, our Allies, and their families.

Thank you, Star, for preparing
the Canteen for today's activities.
Salute to another VN vet.
Salute John Phillip Baca

Checking in and checking up.
Hope everyone had a wonderful weekend.
Me? I'm ready for some warm weather.

Sorry, have to post and run;
nearing my cutoff time.

But please stay right where you are.
Chat up the military or a family member.
No need to fret...you know I'll be back!

The FR Canteen is

Come in and sit for a while.
There's always plenty of coffee, tea,
pancakes, conversation, silliness,
and plain old BS

REMEMBER THEM ~ DEFENDERS OF FREEDOM

FR CANTEEN MISSION STATEMENT

Showing support and boosting the morale of our military and our allied military and the family members of the above. Honoring those who have served before.

[E.G.C.]

((HUGS))Good morning, Beach. How’s it going?