Posted on 04/28/2022 2:46:46 PM PDT by PROCON
WASHINGTON – The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today that U.S. Army Air Forces Lt. Col. Addison E. Baker, 36, of Chicago, killed during World War II and posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor, was accounted for April 8, 2022.
In the summer of 1943, Baker was the commander of the 328th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), 93rd Bombardment Group (Heavy), 9th Air Force. On Aug. 1, 1943, Baker was piloting a B-24 Liberator bomber during Operation TIDAL WAVE, the largest World War II bombing mission against the oil fields and refineries at Ploiesti, north of Bucharest, Romania. During its bombing run, his plane was hit by enemy anti-aircraft fire and crashed, but not before he dropped his bombs on the target and avoided crashing into the other B-24s in his formation. Baker’s remains were not identified following the crash. Remains that could not be identified were buried as Unknowns in the Hero Section of the Civilian and Military Cemetery of Bolovan, Ploiesti, Prahova, Romania.
Following the war, the American Graves Registration Command (AGRC), the organization that searched for and recovered fallen American personnel, disinterred all American remains from the Bolovan Cemetery for identification. The AGRC was unable to identify more than 80 unknowns from Bolovan Cemetery, and those remains were permanently interred at Ardennes American Cemetery and Henri-Chapelle American Cemetery, both in Belgium.
In 2017, DPAA began exhuming unknowns believed to be associated with unaccounted-for airmen from Operation TIDAL WAVE losses. These remains were sent to the DPAA Laboratory at Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska, for examination and identification.
To identify Baker’s remains, scientists from DPAA used anthropological analysis, as well as circumstantial evidence. Additionally, scientists from the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System used mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) and Y chromosome DNA (Y-STR) analysis.
Baker’s name is recorded on the Tablets of the Missing at the Florence American Cemetery, an American Battle Monuments Commission site in Impruneta, Italy, along with others still missing from WWII. A rosette will be placed next to his name to indicate he has been accounted for.
The date and location of Baker’s funeral have yet to be decided.
For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty in action with the enemy on 1 August 1943. On this date he led his command, the 93d Heavy Bombardment Group, on a daring low-level attack against enemy oil refineries and installations at Ploesti, Rumania. Approching the target, his aircraft was hit by a large-caliber antiaircraft shell, seriously damaged, and set on fire. Ignoring the fact he was flying over terrain suitable for safe landing, he refused to jeopardize the mission by breaking up the lead formation and continued unswervingly to lead his group to the target upon which he dropped his bombs with devastating effect. Only then did he leave formation, but his valiant attempts to gain sufficient altitude for the crew to escape by parachute were unavailing and his aircraft crashed in flames after his successful efforts to avoid other planes in formation. By extraordinary flying skill, gallant leadership, and intrepidity, Lt. Col. Baker rendered outstanding, distinguished, and valorous service to our nation.
Ping
Rip, Ltc Baker!
A brave American! Unlike the weasels, Joe and Hunter destroying the country’s heritage today.
Agree, but notice where he was buried: Unknowns in the Hero Section of the Civilian and Military Cemetery of Bolovan, Ploiesti, Prahova, Romania.
The Romanians buried him in a military cemetery. That takes character to bury both sides of a conflict in proper sites even though Romania was an axis power.
Greatest Generation.
RIP, brave airman. 🇺🇸
That’s one of the most famous Ploesti oil fields raid photographs.
My wife’s uncle was a gunner on that raid. He didn’t like it.
(He liked the B-24, interestingly enough.)
However, there is some current disagreement about the photo you posted. There is some evidence that this photo and others were early Dept. of Defense “photoshop” products. I don’t have an opinion - the pilots and crew were no less brave regardless.
A Romanian countess also took control of American airman POWs from the Ploesti raid and kept them interned on her estate rather than turn them over to the Germans.
She claimed they were prisoners of the Romanians, not the Germans, and they were treated rather well compared to German held POWs.
Baker’s co-pilot was Major John Jerstad, age 25. Jerstad had completed his 25 mission tour and instead of going home, stayed to fly to Ploesti with Baker. The entire crew was KIA. Interestingly enough, Jerstad was awarded the Medal of Honor along with Baker and 3 others. 5 Medals of Honor awarded for Tidal Wave...the most for any single action during the war.
Brave men indeed..
Ping.
Ploesti was hell on earth. I saw a moment by moment documentary of the raid and man it’s up there with any battle ever fought anywhere ever. They charged into the teeth of the dragon…fat low and slow…and some of them, encountering cloud cover, instead of going on to an alternate target, went right round and ran the AA fire gantlet again. Just considering that raid scared me shitless.
My uncle was a B-24 waist gunner on that mission, and always reminded me of the corn stalks they found in their engines afterwards. He and his brother, who served in the Pacific, were family heroes.
Here’s a Ploesti roster, in case your wife is interested.
http://www.ploesti.com/roster.pdf
Around 1985 I was drilling holes through an airport apron for structural testing. There were several wildfires burning in the national forest nearby and the forest service was using a converted B-24 water bomber that landed several times and parked at our work zone so we had to move out of the way while they did their thing.
One time the bomb bay doors opened and a bicycle was lowered down on a rope and the pilot rode off to the terminal and came back a few minutes later carrying soft drinks. He climbed back in, pulled the bike back up and closed the doors then took off again.
I loved hearing the sound of the engines firing up.
Wow learn something new every day. Thanks.
Inspiring.
The Ploiesti raids were a strategic but deadly set of missions in 1943. One of Hitler / Germany’s biggest goals was to get to the Soviet Baku oil fields. As Germany was perpetually short of oil, it obviously used Ploiesti as Romania became an Axis ally in 1941. However, Baku was so much bigger that it was the main goal of the southern German thrust.
When Stalingrad became the disaster that it was in 1942-43, it blocked Germany from Baku and the other Caucasus oil fields, thus raising the importance of Ploiesti. While the USAAF staged these raids from Libya, it was a long mission with plenty of warning time to the Germans as the planes overflew occupied Greece and much of Romania to reach the target. The Germans & Romanians had heavy defenses at the ready.
These raids were/are considered the costliest in terms of per capita casualties and, unfortunately, less than successful. Ploiesti maintained its output until conquered by the Soviet Army in 1944.
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