The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Second Lieutenant Herbert M. Baker (MCSN: 0-51592), United States Marine Corps, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity as Pilot of a Plane in Marine Fighter Squadron THREE HUNDRED TWELVE (VMF-312), in action against enemy aggressor forces in Korea on 16 October 1951. Participating in an aerial assault against strategic installations along the enemy’s main supply route leading from Sunchon to Pyongyang, Second Lieutenant Baker pressed home an extremely low-level attack on an enemy railroad bridge despite intense and accurate hostile anti-aircraft fire. Observing that two of the flight’s aircraft had been hit by enemy fire and that one, seriously damaged, was forced to crash-land near the target area, he immediately notified the flight leader of the downed pilot’s location in order to alert rescue facilities. Assuming sole cover over his fellow aviator, he repeatedly exposed himself to the increasingly accurate anti-aircraft fire in an effort to keep the enemy under cover until a rescue could be effected. Although his aircraft sustained repeated hits from hostile fire, he courageously maneuvered alone for seventy minutes at low altitude to prevent enemy troops from reaching the downed pilot and, despite his dangerously low fuel supply and battle-damaged plane, remained over the area until approaching darkness forced the rescue to be cancelled. His superb airmanship, marked courage and resolute determination in the face of grave personal risk reflect the highest credit upon Second Lieutenant Baker and the United States Naval Service.