On this day, Vernon Baker, a U.S. Army lieutenant and World War II veteran, was awarded the Medal of Honor by President Bill Clinton. Baker was one of seven African American soldiers recognized with the nation’s highest military honor for their valor during WWII, more than 50 years after their service. He was the only one of the seven still alive at the time. His heroic actions during a 1945 assault on a German stronghold in Italy went unrecognized due to systemic racial discrimination within the military.
© 2025 KnowThyHistory.com. Know Thy History
