Baker Joseph

Monuments

B-17 (42-38202) 'BTO in the ETO' Crash Site and USAAF Memorial

Name:

Joseph Baker

Rank:

Second Lieutenant

Serial Number:

O-706667

Unit:

729th Bombardment Squadron, 452nd Bomb Group, Heavy

Date of Death:

0000-00-00

State:

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Comments:

Joseph T. Baker served in the 729th Bomb Squadron, 457th Bomb Group, Heavy, as a Second Lieutenant and Bombardier of the B-17G "BTO in the ETO" (#42-38202) during World War II.

On June 21, 1944, "BTO in the ETO" was on a mission to bomb targets in Nazi Germany. Following the successful bombing run, the aircraft encountered damage severe enough to force the crew to abandon the plane. The crew members parachuted out, landing in German-occupied Poland. Three of them—TSgt White, SSgt Cabaniss, and SSgt Shumate were captured by German forces and became prisoners of war. The remaining crew members, however, avoided capture and joined up with the Polish guerrilla unit "34th PP AK Zenon," an Armia Krajowa (AK) resistance group, where they continued to fight against German forces. Currently, there are no available details about 2Lt Baker's death and burial.

Source of information: www.americanairmuseum.com