Bill Would Give Idaho War Hero Retroactive Pension Medal Of Honor Winner Vernon Baker Would Get $64,000

Urging his Senate colleagues to remedy a 52-year-old injustice, Idaho Sen. Dirk Kempthorne introduced a bill to give Vernon Baker a retroactive pension to accompany the retired Army lieutenant’s Medal of Honor.

The families of two other soldiers - honored posthumously with the nation’s highest medal - would also be given more than $64,000 if Kempthorne’s bill passes. Baker, who lives in St. Maries, is the only survivor among seven black servicemen awarded the Medal of Honor in a White House ceremony last January.

“The bill I am introducing today offers three American heroes only what they rightly earned in combat defending our nation and the free world,” Kempthorne told the Senate.

He said this merely makes good on a stipend that Baker, Staff Sgt. Edward A. Carter Jr. and Major Charles L. Thomas would have gotten had they received their medals with 28 other World War II heroes in 1945. All three men are black; until January, none of the 1.2 million African Americans who served in World War II had received the Medal of Honor.

Although seven men were honored by President Bill Clinton, Kempthorne’s bill includes only Baker, Carter and Thomas because they are the only ones with surviving spouses or children.

Baker, who was in Spokane on Thursday for an American Red Cross luncheon, reacted to the news with humility. Although he has been working with an Idaho Falls attorney to recover some additional retirement benefits, Baker said he didn’t even know Kempthorne was considering this bill.

“It would be like Christmas if it works out,” said Baker, who lives modestly in North Idaho. “It’s probably the feeling of whoever is doing this that it’s owed to me.”

Baker received the Medal of Honor for his role in the Battle for Castle Aghinolfi, Italy, in 1945. Baker wiped out three machine gun nests by himself, helped silence two others, blew up two bunkers, and destroyed an observation post.

Now, Baker said he is simply grateful his own case may have a positive influence on other black servicemen as they struggle to be recognized for their sacrifices. They fought - and died - alongside their white compatriots.

“It would be very nice,” the 77-year-old said, “and I would be honored to have broken the ice.”

Kempthorne said following the Thursday afternoon session that this bill was a long time coming.

“I’m going to try and move this on through as quickly as possible,” said Kempthorne, explaining that although it was tough to predict when the bill would be voted on, he was optimistic about its chances.

Kempthorne said all of his colleagues in the Senate he spoke with were convinced of the legislation’s merit.

“I don’t see any problems. It should have been done a long time ago, but that didn’t happen,” Kempthorne said. “But we’re doing it now. And we’re doing it with respect and dignity.”

, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: Color photo (Idaho edition only)