Martinez
03-22-2004, 11:45
http://www.thedailycitizen.com/articles/2004/03/22/news/news04.txt
By Stephen Zeigler
The Daily Citizen
The 24th annual memorial service for Searcy war hero Col. A.J. "Bo" Baker will take place at Oaklawn Memorial Cemetery at 2 p.m. today, with an honor guard and 21-gun salute. Taps will be played and the service is open to the public.
Baker is the only soldier in Arkansas given an annual memorial service by the state chapter of the American Forces Association.
Baker was born in Searcy in 1930, graduated Searcy High School and the University of Arkansas, and was a member of the original Green Berets.
Among many medals and awards, he won a Silver Star in 1966 for gallantry in action at the Plei Me Special Forces Camp in Viet Nam, a Bronze Star, and was posthumously awarded the Distinguished Service Medal after dying in Germany while on active duty in 1980.
American Legion Post 350 in Searcy and the National Guard Armory south of the airport on Main Street in Searcy are named for Baker. In 1991, the A.J. "Bo" Baker Chapter 10 Special Forces was organized in New Orleans.
The Bad Tolz, Germany, air field was renamed for Baker after his death.
Baker served one tour of Korea, two tours in Viet Nam, was Battalion Commander with the 82nd Airborne at Fort Bragg, N.C., and commander of Fort Sherman, Panama Canal Zone, The Warfare Training School.
In 1974, the Army commissioned Baker to recruit, train and command the Second Airborne Ranger Battalion at Fort Lewis, Wash. After presenting that battalion to the Army in June, 1977, he was assigned Commander of the Second Battalion Special Forces in Bad Tolz.
The Special Forces are sometimes referred to as the Green Berets.
"They are highly trained for unconventional missions for the Army," said Ron Helton, outgoing president of the Chapter 49 Arkansas Special Forces Association. "They work in teams of 12, when they can get them, with indigenous forces to help train them on highly classified missions looking for bad guys behind the lines. They do clandestine operations like taking out communications and spotting for advance forces. They are the eyes and ears. They're the task forces that locate terrorists."
Baker died of a heart attack while on a physical training run, said Helton.
"Bo was a unique leader remembered by a tremendous number of forces still around. He was a tremendous warrior in Viet Nam and a mover and shaker in the military to make sure we got missions."
There are 40 chapters of the Special Forces Association nationwide, said Helton, as well as in other countries. Chapter 49 is the only one in Arkansas, he said.
"We do recognize and have funeral services for our fallen comrades but this is the only annual one we perform."
Chapter 49 was formed in 1990 and took over the annual memorial duties from the New Orleans chapter became inactive, said Helton. The Arkansas chapter has 111 members, about 70 of whom are active, said incoming president Donald Mathis.
Jo Jones is Baker's sister and teaches in Searcy at Ahlf Junior High School in Searcy.
"He was my hero, always bigger than life to me," she said. "Everything I ever tried to do, I did it because he was my brother."
Baker was the son of Mrs. Bertha Baker and the late Adolphus Baker.
Following the service, the forces always retire to the Baker's childhood home in Searcy, where his mother still lives, said Mathis.
By Stephen Zeigler
The Daily Citizen
The 24th annual memorial service for Searcy war hero Col. A.J. "Bo" Baker will take place at Oaklawn Memorial Cemetery at 2 p.m. today, with an honor guard and 21-gun salute. Taps will be played and the service is open to the public.
Baker is the only soldier in Arkansas given an annual memorial service by the state chapter of the American Forces Association.
Baker was born in Searcy in 1930, graduated Searcy High School and the University of Arkansas, and was a member of the original Green Berets.
Among many medals and awards, he won a Silver Star in 1966 for gallantry in action at the Plei Me Special Forces Camp in Viet Nam, a Bronze Star, and was posthumously awarded the Distinguished Service Medal after dying in Germany while on active duty in 1980.
American Legion Post 350 in Searcy and the National Guard Armory south of the airport on Main Street in Searcy are named for Baker. In 1991, the A.J. "Bo" Baker Chapter 10 Special Forces was organized in New Orleans.
The Bad Tolz, Germany, air field was renamed for Baker after his death.
Baker served one tour of Korea, two tours in Viet Nam, was Battalion Commander with the 82nd Airborne at Fort Bragg, N.C., and commander of Fort Sherman, Panama Canal Zone, The Warfare Training School.
In 1974, the Army commissioned Baker to recruit, train and command the Second Airborne Ranger Battalion at Fort Lewis, Wash. After presenting that battalion to the Army in June, 1977, he was assigned Commander of the Second Battalion Special Forces in Bad Tolz.
The Special Forces are sometimes referred to as the Green Berets.
"They are highly trained for unconventional missions for the Army," said Ron Helton, outgoing president of the Chapter 49 Arkansas Special Forces Association. "They work in teams of 12, when they can get them, with indigenous forces to help train them on highly classified missions looking for bad guys behind the lines. They do clandestine operations like taking out communications and spotting for advance forces. They are the eyes and ears. They're the task forces that locate terrorists."
Baker died of a heart attack while on a physical training run, said Helton.
"Bo was a unique leader remembered by a tremendous number of forces still around. He was a tremendous warrior in Viet Nam and a mover and shaker in the military to make sure we got missions."
There are 40 chapters of the Special Forces Association nationwide, said Helton, as well as in other countries. Chapter 49 is the only one in Arkansas, he said.
"We do recognize and have funeral services for our fallen comrades but this is the only annual one we perform."
Chapter 49 was formed in 1990 and took over the annual memorial duties from the New Orleans chapter became inactive, said Helton. The Arkansas chapter has 111 members, about 70 of whom are active, said incoming president Donald Mathis.
Jo Jones is Baker's sister and teaches in Searcy at Ahlf Junior High School in Searcy.
"He was my hero, always bigger than life to me," she said. "Everything I ever tried to do, I did it because he was my brother."
Baker was the son of Mrs. Bertha Baker and the late Adolphus Baker.
Following the service, the forces always retire to the Baker's childhood home in Searcy, where his mother still lives, said Mathis.