Page 114 - Senior Link Magazine Fall 2021- Online Magazine

Delmar Baker From Trials and Tragedy
elmar Baker was raised
in an alcoholic home
Denvironment in Freeport,
TX after being born in Laredo
to a WWII army veteran, Staff
Sergeant Charles Baker. Sergeant
Baker was awarded the Bronze
Star after action in a horrific
battle in the South Pacific.
Delmar’s mom, Marie, married
his dad on December 6, 1941,
soon after she had turned 18.
Charles, 18 years older, signed up
shortly after the honeymoon and
did not see his wife or daughter,
who was conceived during that
short honeymoon, until early
1945, some 3 1/2 years later.
114 Lubbock Senior Link
to Triumph
by Ted and Jody Boudreaux Wilson
After returning personnel. Delmar was near the
home, a brother front of the line of soldiers with
and Delmar were his duffle bag on his shoulder,
added to the awaiting the opening of the door
family. War has a of the Continental Trailways
way of damaging bus to be shipped out, when a
even the survivors. jeep with a captain drove up.
Shell shock, or “Corporal Baker, come here. Get
PTSD as it is now in the jeep.” Corporal Baker
called, affected was dumbfounded. At the
many veterans; headquarters for the 3rd Brigade,
Charles was one the brigade colonel informed
of them. Delmar Delmar that he was exempt from
and his siblings being deployed because his
were raised in an brother in Vietnam requested he
atmosphere of not be sent, since they were the
chaos, rage, and only sons of Charles Baker. So,
alcohol. Those instead of the jungles of Vietnam,
demons followed Corporal Baker became the
Delmar through colonel’s orderly, in charge of the
high school, some motor pool, as well as his driver.
college years, and
into his military The motor pool had never
days after he was passed an IG (Inspector General)
drafted into the inspection. The exiting sergeant
army in September told Delmar it was all in his
of 1966, in the hands. Corporal Baker took
middle of the on the challenge. Rather than
Vietnam War. traveling half a world away into
a war zone of a very unpopular
Those army days are still vivid war, Delmar determined
in Delmar’s memories. Infantry to pursue excellence while
basic training took place at Fort performing his duties back at
Hood, where he was affectionally Fort Hood. As a result, nervous
known as a “grunt”. Then, with “the Brass” minutely
as a PFC, he was assigned to checking everything, the motor
advanced individual training pool passed with a score of 99
(AIT) at Fort Lee, Virginia. Then out of 100. Remembering that
he was sent back to Fort Hood, still chokes him up with a touch
where he was put in charge of pride.
of the motor pool for all the
mechanized machinery (tanks Corporal Baker was released
and such), but he was always from active duty in September
preparing to be deployed. 1968, started back to college
for a short while, then began
Orders came in, and his unit building homes with his brother-
got everything ready to be in-law contractor in Baton
shipped to Vietnam, including Rouge. Civilian Baker then