Merton Baker

Born in Tomahawk, Wisconsin, in 1924, Merton grew up in Evansville, Wisconsin graduating from high school in 1942. He then studied at Whitewater State Teacher's College before entering the US Army Air Corps in 1943. He received his pilot wings one year later.

His first assignment was as a copilot flying Consolidated B-24 Liberator with the 829th Bombardment Group in Italy. He flew 35 combat missions before VE-Day. He was reassigned to Fairfield-Suisun Army Air Base (later Travis AFB) in California, flying Douglas C-54s in the Pacific Theater.

He separated from service and served as a civilian flight instructor in North Carolina before being recalled to active service during the Korean War. From June 1953 until September 1957, he served at McConnell Air Force Base, Kansas as a Lockheed T-33 instructor pilot and later as a Boeing B-47 instructor pilot. From 1957 until1962 Merton was a Boeing B-52 acceptance pilot and later an Air Force plant representative for Cessna.

During Vietnam, he flew 150 combat missions in the Douglas EB-66 Destroyer Electronic Warfare aircraft with the 42nd Tactical Electronic Warfare Squadron at Takhli Royal Thai Air Force Base, Thailand. He retired as Major General in 1981 after commanding the Air Fore Contract Management Division of the Air Force Systems Command in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Major General Baker’s awards during his 185 combat missions, 7,000 flight hours in 21 different aircraft include the Legion of Merit, Distinguished Flying Cross, Meritorious Service Medal, Air Medal with 11 oak clusters, Joint Service commendations, Air Force Commendation with cluster.