John P. Baker
Bio
John P. Baker was born in North Little Rock, Arkansas, on May 15, 1929. He was one of four children but the only boy in the family. He graduated from North Little Rock High School in 1947 and attended college to pursue his dream of becoming a teacher, only to be drafted by the United States Army as soon as his degree was completed. He received his basic training at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, as an artillery man, yet he was soon transferred to record keeping due to his college background. He left for Korea in November of 1952 and remained there until the Armistice was signed in July of 1953. He was never afraid and had full confidence in America’s military power. He believes that Korea remains a good example of how Americans helped keep communism from spreading, and he has no regrets for his time spent there. He returned in 2001 to help build Habitat for Humanity homes under the leadership of President Jimmy Carter and was astounded at the growth and prosperity of South Korea. He never imagined that South Korea could be so prosperous but was so thankful to see that it was.
Video Clips
Artillery War
John P. Baker describes how the war seemed to have shifted to an artillery war with America having fired more artillery shells in a three-year span in Korea than in all of World War II. Due to the position of the artillery in the rear, he shares he never felt in danger of incoming fire, yet he witnessed the immense barrage of outgoing fire. He adds he did suffer hearing loss as a result.
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gaaXH0wPWxM&start=1383&end=1604
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https://koreanwarlegacy.org/interviews/john-p-baker#clip-1
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Legacy of Service
John P. Baker discusses the legacy he is leaving behind as a Korean War veteran. He explains the significance of America helping to halt the spread of communism and the importance of the strong alliance between South Korea and the United States. He recalls what it was like to come home from the Korean War, hardly recognized for his service and how that has changed today.
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gaaXH0wPWxM&start=2318&end=2523
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https://koreanwarlegacy.org/interviews/john-p-baker#clip-2
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