Private James M. Baker - 1st Infantry Division
James M. Baker was born on December 19, 1921 in Perry County, Kentucky, the seventh of eight children by Charles and Mary Baker. As a coal miner, Charles moved his family from Kentucky to West Virginia at least twice, and ultimately relocated to the small town of Iaeger (McDowell County) about 10 miles from the Kentucky/West Virginia border. According to the US Census, Iaeger was a small community of only 986 people in 1940, up from 481 in 1920.
James entered military service in August 1940 at Fort Knox, Kentucky. The details of his service during the period before the US entered the war and after are unknown, but it appears that he enlisted for three years with the Quartermaster Corps. His service continued as, by late 1944, he was serving with the Big Red One, or US 1st Infantry Division (16th Infantry Regiment), in Belgium during the Battle of the Bulge. After fighting in the Huertgen Forest in November and a brief rest in early December, the division was deployed on the Bulge’s northern shoulder to offset German advances. It saw heavy fighting in the Malmedy sector where it fought off German attacks in the area of Faymonville as well as Elsenborn Ridge.
James entered military service in August 1940 at Fort Knox, Kentucky. The details of his service during the period before the US entered the war and after are unknown, but it appears that he enlisted for three years with the Quartermaster Corps. His service continued as, by late 1944, he was serving with the Big Red One, or US 1st Infantry Division (16th Infantry Regiment), in Belgium during the Battle of the Bulge. After fighting in the Huertgen Forest in November and a brief rest in early December, the division was deployed on the Bulge’s northern shoulder to offset German advances. It saw heavy fighting in the Malmedy sector where it fought off German attacks in the area of Faymonville as well as Elsenborn Ridge.
The front line on January 19, 1945. Note elements of 1st Infantry Division opposite 3. Fallschirmjaeger-Division (Library of Congress)
With the tide turned, the division was involved in pushing back the Germans in the Malmedy sector in early to mid-January, including fighting at Steinbach on January 15th with the objective to open a passage for the 7th Armored Division to move onto St. Vith (lost to the 106th Infantry Division a month earlier). The Big Red One saw heavy fighting in the area of Faymonville, Schloppen, and the Bambusch Woods, as the 16th Infantry Regiment cleared the area in worsening winter conditions. It was here, on January 19th, in weather described in the regimental history as the worst it experienced during the entire war, that the Americans pushed through blizzard conditions and knee-deep snow as it faced 3. Fallschirmjaeger-Division. The men of 16th Regiment pushed hard with heavy mortar support and surprised the Germans at Schloppen but not without casualties. Included among them was James Baker, who was killed in action by way of a shell fragment to the head and shrapnel damage to his abdomen. He was buried four days later in Henri Chappelle Cemetery in Belgium, and rests there till this day.
James M. Baker as shown in American Patriots Magazine (and listed below).
His grave, as shown today, with his name, rank, unit, native State, and his date of death (Find A Grave) |
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Months after his death, Baker’s Purple Heart was sent home to his family as a commemoration of his sacrifice against enemy troops.
Unusually, his heart is particularly worn on a portion of the reverse, possibly the result of a loved one, such as his mother, continuously rubbing the heart with her thumb as she prayed and/or reminisced about the son she lost.