Addison Earl Baker

The Medal of Honor Pilot Who Led a Burning B-24 Into Ploesti

His B-24 was on fire. The formation was still heading toward one of the most heavily defended targets in Europe. Lieutenant Colonel Addison Earl Baker had a chance to break away and attempt a landing, but doing so could disrupt the attack. He chose to stay in front.

On 1 August 1943, Baker led the 93rd Bombardment Group (Heavy) at low altitude toward the oil refineries of Ploesti, Romania, during Operation Tidal Wave. His aircraft, the B-24D Liberator Hell's Wench, was struck by heavy antiaircraft fire, badly damaged and set ablaze. Yet Baker refused to abandon the lead formation. He continued toward the target, released his bombs, and only then attempted to climb so his crew might escape. The aircraft crashed before they could get out. Baker was 36 years old. His decision in those final minutes earned him the Medal of Honor, awarded posthumously under War Department General Orders No. 20 on 11 March 1944. The official citation praised his extraordinary flying skill, leadership and courage in carrying the attack through despite the destruction of his aircraft.

Addison Earl Baker was born on 1 January 1907 in Chicago, Illinois, and grew up in the Akron, Ohio, area. His military career began far from the rank and responsibility he would later hold. On 17 January 1929, he enlisted in the Regular Army as a private. The following year he became a flying cadet, training at Brooks and Kelly Fields in Texas. On 27 February 1931 he received his pilot wings and commission as a second lieutenant. After a period away from active duty, including National Guard service, he was recalled in November 1940 as the United States moved closer to war.

In February 1942 Baker joined the newly formed 93rd Bombardment Group at Barksdale Field, Louisiana. By May he was a major commanding the 328th Bombardment Squadron, and he deployed with the group to the European Theater flying the Consolidated B-24 Liberator. His rise from squadron commander to group commander was rapid because his combat record justified it. By May 1943 he had been promoted to lieutenant colonel and placed in command of the 93rd Bombardment Group.

Long before Ploesti, Baker had already demonstrated the kind of leadership that made him stand out among heavy bomber commanders. On 18 November 1942, while serving as combat leader on a bombing mission over enemy-occupied Europe, he directed a heavy bombardment wing from the lead aircraft against a heavily defended military objective. His leadership helped the formation complete the bombing successfully, and he was awarded the Silver Star under Headquarters, Eighth Air Force, General Orders No. 131. The citation specifically recognized his courage, skill and leadership under combat conditions.

He also received the Distinguished Flying Cross for extraordinary achievement in aerial flight on 10 January 1943 while serving as a B-24 pilot with the 93rd Bombardment Group in the Middle East Theater. The citation highlighted his devotion to duty and courage during bombing operations. Baker's sustained combat flying brought him the Air Medal with two bronze oak leaf clusters, representing three awards of the Air Medal, while his combat record also included the Purple Heart. An American Battle Monuments Commission record identifies Baker's personal decorations as the Medal of Honor, Silver Star, Distinguished Flying Cross, Air Medal with two oak leaf clusters, and Purple Heart.

His campaign service was equally extensive. Baker's verified entitlement included the American Defense Service Medal, the American Campaign Medal with a bronze service star for the Antisubmarine Campaign, the European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with a silver service star representing five credited campaigns, and the World War II Victory Medal. The 93rd Bombardment Group also earned two Distinguished Unit Citations during Baker's service, represented by the Army Presidential Unit Citation with one bronze oak leaf cluster. One of those unit citations recognized the group's North African operations, while another honored its extraordinary performance at Ploesti. Official Air Force unit history confirms that the 93rd received a Distinguished Unit Citation for the Ploesti mission despite severe losses.

Operation Tidal Wave was one of the most dangerous American bombing missions of World War II. The objective was to strike the oil installations around Ploesti, a critical source of petroleum for the Axis war machine. Rather than approach at conventional heavy-bomber altitude, the force attacked at extremely low level. Baker led his group directly into intense defenses. When Hell's Wench was hit and began burning, he faced a brutal choice. He could attempt to save his aircraft and crew immediately, or he could keep the formation together long enough to complete the attack. He stayed on course. His Medal of Honor citation records that he continued to the target before finally leaving formation and trying to gain altitude so the crew could bail out. The effort failed, and the bomber crashed in flames.

Baker's sacrifice did not immediately end with a known grave. His remains could not be individually identified after the crash, and for decades he was listed among America's missing from World War II. The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency eventually reopened the Ploesti cases and used modern forensic analysis and DNA testing to identify him. On 8 April 2022, nearly 79 years after his death, Lieutenant Colonel Addison Earl Baker was officially accounted for. He was subsequently laid to rest with military honors at Arlington National Cemetery in September 2022. The American Battle Monuments Commission placed a rosette beside his name on the Tablets of the Missing to show that he had finally been recovered and identified.

Addison Earl Baker's story is more than the story of a Medal of Honor recipient. It is the story of a pilot who repeatedly chose to lead from the front. From his Silver Star mission over occupied Europe, to his Distinguished Flying Cross service in the Middle East, to the three Air Medals that reflected sustained combat flying, Baker built a record of courage before Ploesti ever made his name famous. Then, on 1 August 1943, with his bomber burning beneath him, he made the decision that defined his legacy. He kept his formation together, carried the attack to the target, and gave his crew every chance he could after the mission was accomplished.

Nearly eight decades later, America finally brought him home. His place in history had already been secured over the oil fields of Romania.