The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Flying Cross to Major Richard M. Baker (MCSN: 0-5444), United States Marine Corps, for extraordinary achievement while participating in aerial flight as Commanding Officer of Marine Fighting Squadron ONE HUNDRED TWENTY-THREE (VMF-123) and as Division Leader. Major Baker, with unfailing ability, high courage and persistent devotion, and with efficiency and good judgment, performed his duty as a fighter pilot. While serving three tours of combat duty of approximately six weeks each, from 8 February to 19 September 1943, he flew on fifty-five missions for a total of 186.3 hours. In all of these tours, he exhibited excellent leadership and great courage at all times. On the second tour, while leading a sixteen plane fighter sweep, a solid overcast developed so that visibility became non-existent. Through fine navigation and calm judgment, the flight was led directly to its base. With a less skillful leader, the weather might well have made this sweep disastrous. On 15 August 1943, the Squadron and Major Baker has their first contact with enemy aircraft. On that day, while leading a flight of three fighter planes, a formation of forty enemy fighters and an indeterminate number of dive bombers were encountered preparing to attack the American Force at Vella Lavella. Though the Corsairs were vastly outnumbered, knowing that this initial contact would set the pattern and the tempo and the standard for all future contacts. Marine Fighting Squadrons 123 and 124 were one of the first air units that operated from Munda. Extremely difficult operating conditions were encountered there. There were nightly bombings and periodic day and night shellings. Dysentery was rife, loss of weight was the rule. Living conditions were adverse. Not withstanding this, a high order of service was rendered by Major Baker. His leadership and courageous fighting spirit and sound judgment, were a material factor in the success of our forces and the disruption of the enemy’s plans, and a real inducing cause of the record made by the squadron that he commanded in surely destroying twenty-nine Japanese planes and in probably destroying fourteen Japanese planes.

The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting a Gold Star in lieu of a Second Award of the Distinguished Flying Cross to Major Richard M. Baker (MCSN: 0-5444), United States Marine Corps, for extraordinary achievement while participating in aerial flight in the Solomon Islands Area from 6 to 11 March 1943. Major Baker completed his fortieth flight in a combat area where enemy anti-aircraft fire was expected to be effective or where enemy aircraft patrols usually occurred. His conduct throughout has distinguished him among those performing duties of the same character.

The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting a Gold Star in lieu of a Second Award of the Distinguished Flying Cross to Major Richard M. Baker (MCSN: 0-5444), United States Marine Corps, for extraordinary achievement while participating in aerial flight in the Solomon Islands Area from 15 to 18 February 1943. Major Baker completed twenty flights in a combat area where enemy anti-aircraft fire was expected to be effective or where enemy aircraft patrols usually occurred. His conduct throughout has distinguished him among those performing duties of the same character.