9 July 1944 : Marines secure Saipan
AoSHQ: Morning Report 07.09.25
In July of 1944, a wounded Sgt. Thomas Baker of the 27th Infantry Division asked to be propped against a tree with a loaded pistol on Saipan.
— J&L Historical (@Jason_R_Burt) July 9, 2025
He was later found at that spot, his empty pistol in hand, surrounded by 8 dead Japanese soldiers.
He would receive the Medal of Honor pic.twitter.com/uCM6vUz4N1
Imagine the PTSD that today's youngsters would have if they had to endure what their GRANDFATHERS went through! Most would not even survive Boot Camp! I knew a guy a long time ago - people called him Shorty. He was about 5' Nothing - scrawny, but strong for his size. I asked him one day if he saw any action in WW2 and he said he did in the Pacific. He said he only shot a dozen or so Japs!! I asked him if it ever bothered him - he said "Nope, I'd do it again if I could - they were trying to kill me"!! I never thought of him as "Shorty" after that - he was always MR. xx to me!!
ReplyDeleteWe should thank God every day for men like that. And there are still men like that serving now. Just rarer.
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