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Honoring American TroopsMedal of Honor Archive

Sergeant Major · U.S. Army

Edward Lee Baker Jr.

Sergeant Major Edward Lee Baker Jr., Army, received the Medal of Honor for actions on July 1, 1898 in Santiago, Cuba during the Spanish-American War.

Spanish-American War July 1, 1898

Sergeant Major Edward Lee Baker Jr., a soldier in the U.S. Army, received the Medal of Honor for gallantry on July 1, 1898 in Santiago, Cuba during the Spanish-American War. At the time he was serving with 10th U.S. Cavalry. Baker was 32 years old.

23 other service members also received the Medal of Honor for actions on the same day. The medal was presented on July 3, 1902, 4 years after the action. He later rose to the rank of Captain.

Baker was born on December 28, 1865 in Platte River, Laramie County, Wyoming. His Medal of Honor is credited to Cincinnati, Hamilton County, Ohio. Baker died on August 26, 1913 in Presido of San Francisco, California, at the age of 47. He is buried at Rosedale Cemetery in Los Angeles, California.

Baker is one of 110 Medal of Honor recipients from the Spanish-American War and one of 256 credited to Ohio.

★ Rescue & Lifesaving

Official Medal of Honor citation

Left cover and, under fire, rescued a wounded comrade from drowning.

Citation text: U.S. Government, public domain.

Battles and campaigns

Also served in: Spanish–American War.

Places

  • Born: Laramie County — map
  • Died: Letterman Army Hospital — map
  • Buried: Angelus-Rosedale Cemetery — map

Veteran resources, cemeteries and meeting places in Ohio →

Timeline

  1. December 28, 1865
    Born in Platte River, Laramie County, Wyoming
  2. July 1, 1898
    Act of valor — Santiago, Cuba
    Age 32. 10th U.S. Cavalry
  3. July 3, 1902
    Medal of Honor presented
  4. August 26, 1913
    Died in Presido of San Francisco, California
    Age 47.
  5. Resting place
    Rosedale Cemetery
    Los Angeles, California

Biography

Edward Lee Baker Jr. (December 28, 1865 in Laramie County, Wyoming – August 26, 1913 in Los Angeles) was an African-American United States Army Captain who received the Medal of Honor for actions during the Spanish–American War. While under fire, he rescued a wounded soldier from drowning.

From the Wikipedia article “Edward L. Baker Jr.”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Read the full article →

Also honored for actions on July 1, 1898

GB George Francis Berg Private · Army Spanish-American War · 1898 OB Oscar Brookin Private · Army Spanish-American War · 1898 UB Ulysses G. Buzzard Private · Army Spanish-American War · 1898 Charles P. Cantrell Private · Army Spanish-American War · 1898 AC Andrew Johnson Cummins Sergeant · Army Spanish-American War · 1898 JD John Francis Deswan Private · Army Spanish-American War · 1898 TD Thomas M. Doherty Corporal · Army Spanish-American War · 1898 FF Frank Ottis Fournia Private · Army Spanish-American War · 1898 TG Thomas J. Graves Private · Army Spanish-American War · 1898 BH Benjamin Franklin Hardaway First Lieutenant · Army Spanish-American War · 1898 WK William G. Keller Private · Army Spanish-American War · 1898 TK Thomas Kelly Private · Army Spanish-American War · 1898

See all 24 recipients for July 1, 1898 →

Same unit

Powhatan Henry Clarke Second Lieutenant · Army Indian Campaigns · 1886 William McBryar Sergeant · Army Indian Campaigns · 1890
Sources. Service and award details compiled from the recipient record of the Congressional Medal of Honor Society, Wikidata and Wikipedia. The narrative summary is generated from these records. Spotted an error? Send a correction.