Navy 3rd Class Gunner's Mate Freeman Wilton Baker was born in Davisville, Florida in North Escambia County on March 15, 1926. He was the son of Decator "Cater" Moses Baker (1873-1948) and Lillie Vioulla Dove (1896-1984), the fifth child born to the farming couple. By 1940, his father was 69-years old, retired, and forced to live on assistance. Even though the old couple lived in Davisville, they received their mail in Atmore, Alabama, the closest town of any size. At the age of 17-years old Freeman signed his enlistment papers and caught the train for Birmingham, Alabama. Here on November 23, 1943, he passed all the aptitude, physical, and medical exams and was inducted into the US Navy.
He was initially assigned to LCT-5 Flotilla #1 for training in Solomons, Maryland to learn his new duties before being sent overseas. He was then assigned to LCI-82, one of the Navy's new amphibious assault ships. His ship had recently taken part in the bloody fighting in the Marianas and Western Caroline operations. Now, they were ordered to proceed with the fleet to Okinawa for one of the last battles of the war. It was to be the largest amphibious assault of World War II in the Pacific and began on April 1, 1945. The military high command planned to use Okinawa as a staging area for the invasion of the Japanese homeland only 350 miles away. Many a Marine veteran would later say that Okinawa was the roughest battle of the entire war. The battle would leave 20,195 American soldiers, sailors, and Marines dead. Added to this list of carnage was 55,000 Americans wounded, 24 ships sunk, and 386 ships damaged.
One of those casualties was Freeman Wilton Baker from Davisville, Florida. On April 4, 1945, Freeman's LCI-82 was patrolling off the mouth of Buckner Bay, Okinawa when they spied a downed enemy bomber on the water's surface and immediately sank it with gunfire. The plane's three Japanese crewmen in their life raft killed themselves with a grenade before being taken prisoner. Suddenly, without warning, an enemy kamikaze gunboat appeared out of the dark and rammed the ship just forward of the conning tower. The explosion caused fires in the fuel tank area and the ship began to list. The wounded crewmen were removed into the water and they abandoned the ship before she sank. However, Freeman and seven others, most likely killed in the initial explosion, went down with their ship. No bodies were recovered, and the Pacific became their eternal tomb. His parents were notified by the War Department and a gold star was placed in their window to signify the young man's sacrifice. A memorial headstone was placed in his honor in the Pine Barren Cemetery where it remains today as a reminder of Freeman's sacrifice for his country.
Comments