David E. Baker Air Force Brigadier General
David E. Baker, 62, a retired Air Force brigadier general who was a prisoner of war during the Vietnam War, died Jan. 29 at Walter Reed Army Medical Center of congestive heart failure. He had been a Mitchellville resident since the mid-1990s.
Gen. Baker was deployed to South Vietnam in January 1972 and was captured that June after his aircraft was shot down. He spent the next eight months as a prisoner of the Viet Cong in Cambodia.
During captivity, he tried to escape but was shot and recaptured. In February 1973, one month after a peace treaty was signed between the North and South Vietnamese, he was released. According to the Air Force, he was the only Air Force prisoner repatriated from Cambodia after the war ended.
In April 1973, he told the Associated Press that during captivity he was paraded past Cambodian villagers who beat and threatened him and was denied medical treatment for a bullet wound in his leg. He said that because he would not make antiwar statements he was given rice only and pork fat to eat.
After the war he was a pilot instructor and later a fighter pilot in the Netherlands.
David Earle "Bull" Baker was born in West Stewartstown, N.H. He received a bachelor's degree in business administration from Hofstra University in Hempstead, N.Y., in 1968 and a master's in business administration from the University of Hawaii in Honolulu in 1974.
From 1994 until his retirement in 1997, he was a vice director of operational plans and interoperability on the Joint Staff. He also was a veteran of the Persian Gulf War.
From 1997 until his death, he worked as a financial adviser and consultant for what is now known as the Stanford Washington Research Group.
His decorations included the Distinguished Service Medal, the Legion of Merit, two awards of the Distinguished Flying Cross and five awards of the Air Medal.
Survivors include his wife of 40 years, Carol Ann Baker of Mitchellville; two children, David E. Baker Jr. of Bethesda and Christopher Baker of Bowie; a brother; and a granddaughter.
EDUCATION
1968 Bachelor of business administration degree, Hofstra University, N.Y.
1974 Squadron Officer School
1974 Master of business administration degree in human resource management, University of Hawaii (Beta Gamma Sigma)
1978 Air Command and Staff College
1983 Armed Forces Staff College
1987 Air War College
1992 National Defense College of Canada, Kingston, Ontario, Canada
1994 CAPSTONE, National Defense University, Washington, D.C.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. June 1969 - June 1970, student, pilot training, Webb Air Force Base, Texas
2. June 1970 - October 1971, EC-121 pilot, Detachment 1, 552nd Airborne Early Control Wing, McCoy Air Force Base, Fla.
3. October 1971 - January 1972, AT-33 combat crew training, Cannon Air Force Base, N.M.
4. January 1972 - February 1973, O-2A forward air controller, 21st Tactical Air Support Squadron, Tan Son Nhut Air Base, South Vietnam
5. August 1973 - September 1974, student, Air Force Institute of Technology, University of Hawaii, Honolulu
6. September 1974 - September 1979, T-38 instructor pilot, 97th Flying Training Squadron; later, flight commander, assistant section commander, chief of standardization and evaluation, 82nd Flying Training Wing, Williams Air Force Base, Ariz.
7. September 1979 - January 1983, F-15 fighter pilot; later assistant operations officer, chief, F-15 standardization and evaluation, 32nd Tactical Fighter Squadron, Camp New Amsterdam, Netherlands
8. January 1983 - July 1983, student, Armed Forces Staff College, Norfolk, Va.
9. July 1983 - December 1986, international program manager, Africa; later chief, international programs, Egypt, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.
10. December 1986 - January 1991, F-15 instructor pilot; later assistant deputy commander for operations, 405th Tactical Training Wing, Luke Air Force Base, Ariz.
11. January 1991 - August 1991, deputy commander for operations, 4th Tactical Fighter Wing (Provisional) and 4404th Tactical Fighter Wing (Provisional), Al Kharj, Saudi Arabia
12. August 1991 - August 1992, student, National Defense College of Canada, Kingston, Ontario, Canada
13. August 1992 - September 1994, director, operations, plans and programs, Air National Guard, National Guard Bureau, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.
14. October 1994 - present, vice director, operational plans and interoperability directorate (J-7), the Joint Staff, Washington, D.C.
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Command pilot
Flight hours: More than 4,000
Aircraft flown: EC-121, AT-33, O-2A, T-38 and F-15 A/C/E
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Legion of Merit
Distinguished Flying Cross with oak leaf cluster
Bronze Star Medal with "V" device and oak leaf cluster
Purple Heart
Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Army Commendation Medal
Air Medal with four oak leaf clusters
Prisoner of War Medal
Vietnam Service Medal with two service stars
Southwest Asia Service Medal with two service stars
Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with bronze star
Kuwait Liberation Medal
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant May 15, 1969
First Lieutenant Oct 15, 1970
Captain May 15, 1972
Major Oct 10, 1979
Lieutenant Colonel Feb 1, 1985
Colonel Dec 1, 1990
Brigadier General Oct 1, 1994
(Current as of November 1994)
David E. Baker, 62, a retired Air Force brigadier general who was a prisoner of war during the Vietnam War, died Jan. 29 at Walter Reed Army Medical Center of congestive heart failure. He had been a Mitchellville resident since the mid-1990s.
Gen. Baker was deployed to South Vietnam in January 1972 and was captured that June after his aircraft was shot down. He spent the next eight months as a prisoner of the Viet Cong in Cambodia.
During captivity, he tried to escape but was shot and recaptured. In February 1973, one month after a peace treaty was signed between the North and South Vietnamese, he was released. According to the Air Force, he was the only Air Force prisoner repatriated from Cambodia after the war ended.
In April 1973, he told the Associated Press that during captivity he was paraded past Cambodian villagers who beat and threatened him and was denied medical treatment for a bullet wound in his leg. He said that because he would not make antiwar statements he was given rice only and pork fat to eat.
After the war he was a pilot instructor and later a fighter pilot in the Netherlands.
David Earle "Bull" Baker was born in West Stewartstown, N.H. He received a bachelor's degree in business administration from Hofstra University in Hempstead, N.Y., in 1968 and a master's in business administration from the University of Hawaii in Honolulu in 1974.
From 1994 until his retirement in 1997, he was a vice director of operational plans and interoperability on the Joint Staff. He also was a veteran of the Persian Gulf War.
From 1997 until his death, he worked as a financial adviser and consultant for what is now known as the Stanford Washington Research Group.
His decorations included the Distinguished Service Medal, the Legion of Merit, two awards of the Distinguished Flying Cross and five awards of the Air Medal.
Survivors include his wife of 40 years, Carol Ann Baker of Mitchellville; two children, David E. Baker Jr. of Bethesda and Christopher Baker of Bowie; a brother; and a granddaughter.
EDUCATION
1968 Bachelor of business administration degree, Hofstra University, N.Y.
1974 Squadron Officer School
1974 Master of business administration degree in human resource management, University of Hawaii (Beta Gamma Sigma)
1978 Air Command and Staff College
1983 Armed Forces Staff College
1987 Air War College
1992 National Defense College of Canada, Kingston, Ontario, Canada
1994 CAPSTONE, National Defense University, Washington, D.C.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. June 1969 - June 1970, student, pilot training, Webb Air Force Base, Texas
2. June 1970 - October 1971, EC-121 pilot, Detachment 1, 552nd Airborne Early Control Wing, McCoy Air Force Base, Fla.
3. October 1971 - January 1972, AT-33 combat crew training, Cannon Air Force Base, N.M.
4. January 1972 - February 1973, O-2A forward air controller, 21st Tactical Air Support Squadron, Tan Son Nhut Air Base, South Vietnam
5. August 1973 - September 1974, student, Air Force Institute of Technology, University of Hawaii, Honolulu
6. September 1974 - September 1979, T-38 instructor pilot, 97th Flying Training Squadron; later, flight commander, assistant section commander, chief of standardization and evaluation, 82nd Flying Training Wing, Williams Air Force Base, Ariz.
7. September 1979 - January 1983, F-15 fighter pilot; later assistant operations officer, chief, F-15 standardization and evaluation, 32nd Tactical Fighter Squadron, Camp New Amsterdam, Netherlands
8. January 1983 - July 1983, student, Armed Forces Staff College, Norfolk, Va.
9. July 1983 - December 1986, international program manager, Africa; later chief, international programs, Egypt, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.
10. December 1986 - January 1991, F-15 instructor pilot; later assistant deputy commander for operations, 405th Tactical Training Wing, Luke Air Force Base, Ariz.
11. January 1991 - August 1991, deputy commander for operations, 4th Tactical Fighter Wing (Provisional) and 4404th Tactical Fighter Wing (Provisional), Al Kharj, Saudi Arabia
12. August 1991 - August 1992, student, National Defense College of Canada, Kingston, Ontario, Canada
13. August 1992 - September 1994, director, operations, plans and programs, Air National Guard, National Guard Bureau, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.
14. October 1994 - present, vice director, operational plans and interoperability directorate (J-7), the Joint Staff, Washington, D.C.
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Command pilot
Flight hours: More than 4,000
Aircraft flown: EC-121, AT-33, O-2A, T-38 and F-15 A/C/E
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Legion of Merit
Distinguished Flying Cross with oak leaf cluster
Bronze Star Medal with "V" device and oak leaf cluster
Purple Heart
Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Army Commendation Medal
Air Medal with four oak leaf clusters
Prisoner of War Medal
Vietnam Service Medal with two service stars
Southwest Asia Service Medal with two service stars
Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with bronze star
Kuwait Liberation Medal
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant May 15, 1969
First Lieutenant Oct 15, 1970
Captain May 15, 1972
Major Oct 10, 1979
Lieutenant Colonel Feb 1, 1985
Colonel Dec 1, 1990
Brigadier General Oct 1, 1994
(Current as of November 1994)
David E. Baker Air Force Brigadier General
David E. Baker, 62, a retired Air Force brigadier general who was a prisoner of war during the Vietnam War, died Jan. 29 at Walter Reed Army Medical Center of congestive heart failure. He had been a Mitchellville resident since the mid-1990s.
Gen. Baker was deployed to South Vietnam in January 1972 and was captured that June after his aircraft was shot down. He spent the next eight months as a prisoner of the Viet Cong in Cambodia.
During captivity, he tried to escape but was shot and recaptured. In February 1973, one month after a peace treaty was signed between the North and South Vietnamese, he was released. According to the Air Force, he was the only Air Force prisoner repatriated from Cambodia after the war ended.
In April 1973, he told the Associated Press that during captivity he was paraded past Cambodian villagers who beat and threatened him and was denied medical treatment for a bullet wound in his leg. He said that because he would not make antiwar statements he was given rice only and pork fat to eat.
After the war he was a pilot instructor and later a fighter pilot in the Netherlands.
David Earle "Bull" Baker was born in West Stewartstown, N.H. He received a bachelor's degree in business administration from Hofstra University in Hempstead, N.Y., in 1968 and a master's in business administration from the University of Hawaii in Honolulu in 1974.
From 1994 until his retirement in 1997, he was a vice director of operational plans and interoperability on the Joint Staff. He also was a veteran of the Persian Gulf War.
From 1997 until his death, he worked as a financial adviser and consultant for what is now known as the Stanford Washington Research Group.
His decorations included the Distinguished Service Medal, the Legion of Merit, two awards of the Distinguished Flying Cross and five awards of the Air Medal.
Survivors include his wife of 40 years, Carol Ann Baker of Mitchellville; two children, David E. Baker Jr. of Bethesda and Christopher Baker of Bowie; a brother; and a granddaughter.
EDUCATION
1968 Bachelor of business administration degree, Hofstra University, N.Y.
1974 Squadron Officer School
1974 Master of business administration degree in human resource management, University of Hawaii (Beta Gamma Sigma)
1978 Air Command and Staff College
1983 Armed Forces Staff College
1987 Air War College
1992 National Defense College of Canada, Kingston, Ontario, Canada
1994 CAPSTONE, National Defense University, Washington, D.C.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. June 1969 - June 1970, student, pilot training, Webb Air Force Base, Texas
2. June 1970 - October 1971, EC-121 pilot, Detachment 1, 552nd Airborne Early Control Wing, McCoy Air Force Base, Fla.
3. October 1971 - January 1972, AT-33 combat crew training, Cannon Air Force Base, N.M.
4. January 1972 - February 1973, O-2A forward air controller, 21st Tactical Air Support Squadron, Tan Son Nhut Air Base, South Vietnam
5. August 1973 - September 1974, student, Air Force Institute of Technology, University of Hawaii, Honolulu
6. September 1974 - September 1979, T-38 instructor pilot, 97th Flying Training Squadron; later, flight commander, assistant section commander, chief of standardization and evaluation, 82nd Flying Training Wing, Williams Air Force Base, Ariz.
7. September 1979 - January 1983, F-15 fighter pilot; later assistant operations officer, chief, F-15 standardization and evaluation, 32nd Tactical Fighter Squadron, Camp New Amsterdam, Netherlands
8. January 1983 - July 1983, student, Armed Forces Staff College, Norfolk, Va.
9. July 1983 - December 1986, international program manager, Africa; later chief, international programs, Egypt, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.
10. December 1986 - January 1991, F-15 instructor pilot; later assistant deputy commander for operations, 405th Tactical Training Wing, Luke Air Force Base, Ariz.
11. January 1991 - August 1991, deputy commander for operations, 4th Tactical Fighter Wing (Provisional) and 4404th Tactical Fighter Wing (Provisional), Al Kharj, Saudi Arabia
12. August 1991 - August 1992, student, National Defense College of Canada, Kingston, Ontario, Canada
13. August 1992 - September 1994, director, operations, plans and programs, Air National Guard, National Guard Bureau, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.
14. October 1994 - present, vice director, operational plans and interoperability directorate (J-7), the Joint Staff, Washington, D.C.
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Command pilot
Flight hours: More than 4,000
Aircraft flown: EC-121, AT-33, O-2A, T-38 and F-15 A/C/E
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Legion of Merit
Distinguished Flying Cross with oak leaf cluster
Bronze Star Medal with "V" device and oak leaf cluster
Purple Heart
Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Army Commendation Medal
Air Medal with four oak leaf clusters
Prisoner of War Medal
Vietnam Service Medal with two service stars
Southwest Asia Service Medal with two service stars
Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with bronze star
Kuwait Liberation Medal
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant May 15, 1969
First Lieutenant Oct 15, 1970
Captain May 15, 1972
Major Oct 10, 1979
Lieutenant Colonel Feb 1, 1985
Colonel Dec 1, 1990
Brigadier General Oct 1, 1994
(Current as of November 1994)
David E. Baker, 62, a retired Air Force brigadier general who was a prisoner of war during the Vietnam War, died Jan. 29 at Walter Reed Army Medical Center of congestive heart failure. He had been a Mitchellville resident since the mid-1990s.
Gen. Baker was deployed to South Vietnam in January 1972 and was captured that June after his aircraft was shot down. He spent the next eight months as a prisoner of the Viet Cong in Cambodia.
During captivity, he tried to escape but was shot and recaptured. In February 1973, one month after a peace treaty was signed between the North and South Vietnamese, he was released. According to the Air Force, he was the only Air Force prisoner repatriated from Cambodia after the war ended.
In April 1973, he told the Associated Press that during captivity he was paraded past Cambodian villagers who beat and threatened him and was denied medical treatment for a bullet wound in his leg. He said that because he would not make antiwar statements he was given rice only and pork fat to eat.
After the war he was a pilot instructor and later a fighter pilot in the Netherlands.
David Earle "Bull" Baker was born in West Stewartstown, N.H. He received a bachelor's degree in business administration from Hofstra University in Hempstead, N.Y., in 1968 and a master's in business administration from the University of Hawaii in Honolulu in 1974.
From 1994 until his retirement in 1997, he was a vice director of operational plans and interoperability on the Joint Staff. He also was a veteran of the Persian Gulf War.
From 1997 until his death, he worked as a financial adviser and consultant for what is now known as the Stanford Washington Research Group.
His decorations included the Distinguished Service Medal, the Legion of Merit, two awards of the Distinguished Flying Cross and five awards of the Air Medal.
Survivors include his wife of 40 years, Carol Ann Baker of Mitchellville; two children, David E. Baker Jr. of Bethesda and Christopher Baker of Bowie; a brother; and a granddaughter.
EDUCATION
1968 Bachelor of business administration degree, Hofstra University, N.Y.
1974 Squadron Officer School
1974 Master of business administration degree in human resource management, University of Hawaii (Beta Gamma Sigma)
1978 Air Command and Staff College
1983 Armed Forces Staff College
1987 Air War College
1992 National Defense College of Canada, Kingston, Ontario, Canada
1994 CAPSTONE, National Defense University, Washington, D.C.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. June 1969 - June 1970, student, pilot training, Webb Air Force Base, Texas
2. June 1970 - October 1971, EC-121 pilot, Detachment 1, 552nd Airborne Early Control Wing, McCoy Air Force Base, Fla.
3. October 1971 - January 1972, AT-33 combat crew training, Cannon Air Force Base, N.M.
4. January 1972 - February 1973, O-2A forward air controller, 21st Tactical Air Support Squadron, Tan Son Nhut Air Base, South Vietnam
5. August 1973 - September 1974, student, Air Force Institute of Technology, University of Hawaii, Honolulu
6. September 1974 - September 1979, T-38 instructor pilot, 97th Flying Training Squadron; later, flight commander, assistant section commander, chief of standardization and evaluation, 82nd Flying Training Wing, Williams Air Force Base, Ariz.
7. September 1979 - January 1983, F-15 fighter pilot; later assistant operations officer, chief, F-15 standardization and evaluation, 32nd Tactical Fighter Squadron, Camp New Amsterdam, Netherlands
8. January 1983 - July 1983, student, Armed Forces Staff College, Norfolk, Va.
9. July 1983 - December 1986, international program manager, Africa; later chief, international programs, Egypt, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.
10. December 1986 - January 1991, F-15 instructor pilot; later assistant deputy commander for operations, 405th Tactical Training Wing, Luke Air Force Base, Ariz.
11. January 1991 - August 1991, deputy commander for operations, 4th Tactical Fighter Wing (Provisional) and 4404th Tactical Fighter Wing (Provisional), Al Kharj, Saudi Arabia
12. August 1991 - August 1992, student, National Defense College of Canada, Kingston, Ontario, Canada
13. August 1992 - September 1994, director, operations, plans and programs, Air National Guard, National Guard Bureau, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.
14. October 1994 - present, vice director, operational plans and interoperability directorate (J-7), the Joint Staff, Washington, D.C.
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Command pilot
Flight hours: More than 4,000
Aircraft flown: EC-121, AT-33, O-2A, T-38 and F-15 A/C/E
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Legion of Merit
Distinguished Flying Cross with oak leaf cluster
Bronze Star Medal with "V" device and oak leaf cluster
Purple Heart
Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Army Commendation Medal
Air Medal with four oak leaf clusters
Prisoner of War Medal
Vietnam Service Medal with two service stars
Southwest Asia Service Medal with two service stars
Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with bronze star
Kuwait Liberation Medal
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant May 15, 1969
First Lieutenant Oct 15, 1970
Captain May 15, 1972
Major Oct 10, 1979
Lieutenant Colonel Feb 1, 1985
Colonel Dec 1, 1990
Brigadier General Oct 1, 1994
(Current as of November 1994)
Family Members
Spouse
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