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Colonel A. J. "Bo" Baker

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    Baker was born on July 22, 1930 and died March 24, 1980, Bad Tolz, Germany. A Searcy native, he was the son of Bertha Lee Baker (Obit) and the late Adolphus H. Baker.

    He was a 1949 graduate of Searcy High School and attendedthe University of Arkansas September 1949 - December 1950 on an athletic scholarship. He was a member of the Arkansas Razorbacks football team.

    He enlisted in the US Air Force in December 1950 and served until December 1953.

    He enrolled in the University of Arkansas in 1954 and graduated in 1956 with a bachelor's degree in physical education. He was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the Army following his graduation from the U of A then attended Basic Infantry Officers Course, Airborne School and Ranger School at Ft. Benning, Georgia.

May 1957 - April 1958 Platoon Leader with 9th Division, Ft. Carson, Colorado.
July 1958 - December 1959 with 22d Infantry, 4th Inf Division, Ft. Lewis, Washington.
January 1960 - February 1961 with 7th inf Division, Korea.
February 1961 - June 1962 with Weapons Dept. followed by the Advanced Infantry Officers Course, Ft. Benning, Georgia.
June 1962 - November 1962 Company Commander, 325th Inf, 82d Airborne Division, Ft. Bragg, N. Carolina.
December 1962 - August 1964 Instructor Airborne Dept., Ft. Benning. Georgia.
August 1964 - October 1965 Special Forces Officer Course followed by 6th Special Forces Group, Ft. Bragg, N. Carolina.
October 1965 - October 1966 5th Special Forces Group (Green Berets), Vietnam. First with Project Delta followed by CO Recondo School. In January of 1966, he was awarded the Silver Star  for gallantry in action at the Plei Me Special  Forces Camp in Vietnam. He was also awarded the Bronze Star with Oak leaf Cluster, the Air Medal, the Distinguished Service Cross, the Legion of Merit, the Meritorious Service Medal and the Army Commendation with two Oak Leaf Clusters.
November 1966 - July 1967 Instructor JFK Center for Military Affairs, Ft. Bragg, N. Carolina.
August 1967 - June 1968 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Alabama.
July 1968 - November 1968 Vietnam.
November 1968 - May 1970 Infantry Branch, Assignments Section, Washington, D.C.
July 1970 - June 1972 Commander Jungle Operations Training Center, Ft. Sherman, Panama Canal Zone.
August 1972 - June 1973 Army War College, Carlisle Barracks, Pennsylvania.
July 1973 - September 1974 G1 82d Airborne Division, Ft. Bragg, N. Carolina.
October 1974 - July 1976  the Army commissioned Baker to recruit, train and command the Second Airborne Ranger Battalion at Fort Lewis. Washington. He presented the battalion to the Army in June 1977. In  July of that year, he was assigned Commander of the Second Battalion, Special Forces in Bad Tolz, Germany.
August 1976 - July 1977 Instructor Tactics Dept., Ft. Benning, Georgia.
July 1977 - July 1978 USAREUR Liasion to UASFE Headquarters, Ramstien AFB, Germany.
July 1978 - March 1980 Commander SF Detachment Europe and Military Community Commander, Bad Tolz, Germany.

He was a Pathfinder, a Ranger, and a Master Paratrooper.

PROMOTIONS:    Dec 1957 - 1LT
                                Aug 1961 - CPT
                                Apr 1966 - MAJ
                                Sep 1969 - LTC
                                Feb 1977 - COL

MEDALS: Silver Star, Bronze Star w/OLC, Air Medal w/OLC, Army Commendation Medal w/2OLC, Meritorius Service Medal. The Distinguished Service Medal was awarded post-humously.

AWARDS: Combat Infantrymans Badge, Expert Infantrymans Badge, Master Parachutist badge, Republic Vietnam Parachutist Badge, West Germany Parachutist Badge and the Ranger Tab.

Received a Master's of Science in Public Administration from George Washington University August 1968.

    On April 15, 1980, Baker was posthumously awarded the Distinguished Service Medal. Also in 1980, Germany and the U.S. Army renamed the air field at Flint Kaserne, Bad Tolz, Germany as the A.J. "Bo" Baker Army Air Field.

    In 1981, the A.J. "Bo" Baker Chapter XXX lOth Special Forces Association was organized in New Orleans.

    In 1983, Bo Baker Post 350 of the American Legion was formed in Searcy.

    Baker was a member of First Baptist Church of Searcy, a Mason, Shriner, and a charter member of the Searcy Chapter of the Order of DeMolay.