Memorial

More information

2nd Lt James A. Baker graduated from Central Catholic High School and attended Catholic University in Washington, D.C.

Statement from 2nd Lt Cecil L. Byrd:
"On the Tuesday, 5 December 1944, I was flying as Blue Leader. The mission was escort to Berlin. On the withdrawal, my wingman, Lt Baker, called me and said his engine was going out and he would have to bail out. At this time, 1145, we were flying about 28,000 ft. I talked to him on the radio in an effort to keep him on the plane a while longer, hoping he could got the engine running. He was losing altitude at a very fast rate, and then at 13,000 ft I noticed black puffs of smoke at frequent intervals coming from the exhaust stacks. Nothing he did seemed to better the condition. He entered the cumulus clouds (which covered about 8/10ths) at about 10,000 ft. He called when he was at 5,000 ft and said he was bailing out at 4,000 ft. I did not see him after he entered the clouds. The place was about 10 miles west of Steinhuber Lake, close to the Weser river and the time was approximately 1154."

2nd Lt James A. Baker was first buried at the POW-Cemetery of Ströhen, Germany, on 6 December 1944, at 1645.

He is remembered at Catholic Cemetery in Fort Wayne, Allen County, Indiana with a memorial marker.