J 2370: Commending Corporal Milton B. Baker upon the occasion of his designation as recipient of a Liberty Medal, the highest honor bestowed upon an individual by the New York State Senate

 Senate Resolution No. 2370 BY: Senator STEC COMMENDING Corporal Milton B. Baker upon the occasion of his designation as recipient of a Liberty Medal, the highest honor bestowed upon an individual by the New York State Senate WHEREAS, Members of the Armed Services from the State of New York, who have served so valiantly and honorably in wars in which this country's freedom was at stake, as well as in the preservation of peace in peacetime, deserve a special salute from this Legislative Body; and WHEREAS, This Legislative Body is justly proud to commend Corporal Milton B. Baker upon the occasion of his designation as recipient of a Liberty Medal, the highest honor bestowed upon an individual by the New York State Senate; and WHEREAS, The New York State Senate Liberty Medal was established by Resolution and is awarded to individuals who have merited special commendation for exceptional, heroic, or humanitarian acts on behalf of their fellow New Yorkers; and WHEREAS, Milton B. Baker, who is currently 96 years old, grew up in Stillwater, New York and attended Stillwater Public Schools, however he left school after completing 10th grade in 1946, to work to help support his family; and WHEREAS, After enlisting in the U.S. Army, Milton B. Baker was deployed to the Korean Peninsula where his unit fought in the vicinity of Old Baldy and Pork Chop Hill from 1952-1953; and WHEREAS, Corporal Milton B. Baker was a member of Abel Company, 23rd Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division and served in the Korean War from April 1,1951 to February 2,1953, and was honorably discharged in 1953; and WHEREAS, In November of 1952, Corporal Milton B. Baker, while fighting at Old Baldy, was pictured on the cover of New York Times Magazine and in Newsweek Magazine carrying a wounded soldier down a portion of Old Baldy; and WHEREAS, For his courageous service during the Korean War, Milton B. Baker was awarded the Korean Service Medal, the United Nations Service Medal, the Combat Infantryman Badge, the National Defense Service Medal, and the New York State Medal for Merit and the Korean War Commemorative Medal from the New York State Department of Military and Naval Affairs; he also received the Korean War Ambassador For Peace Medal from the Republic of Korea (South Korea) for his Korean War service on behalf of the South Korean people; and WHEREAS, After he returned home, Milton B. Baker worked for Plumber's Union 288 out of Saratoga, and later transferred to Local Plumber's Union 773, which did plumbing projects from Stillwater to the Canadian border; among the notable projects he worked on were the paper plant in Glens Falls, New York and the Olympic Village in Lake Placid, New York; and WHEREAS, Milton B. Baker retired from the Plumber's Union in 1997, and moved from Stillwater to Willsboro, New York where he currently resides; and WHEREAS, Milton B. Baker is a lifetime member of VFW Post 420 in Saratoga, New York and VFW Post 405 in Willsboro; he is a lifetime member of American Legion Posts in both Saratoga and Willsboro, where he participated in many civic activities; and WHEREAS, Selected in 2025 and 2026 to be the Grand Marshall in the Memorial Day Parade in Willsboro, Milton B. Baker, in April of 2026, received his high school diploma from the Stillwater School District under Operation Recognition guidelines; and WHEREAS, Residents of this great State must never forget the courage with which these men and women served their country, and must recognize that no greater debt is owed than that owed to those who gave their lives for their beloved Nation and to those who continue to be missing in action; and WHEREAS, Having exhibited his patriotism both at home and abroad, Milton B. Baker demonstrated his love for his country and merits forevermore the highest respect of his State and Nation; and WHEREAS, Our Nation's veterans deserve to be recognized, commended and thanked by the people of the State of New York for their service and for their dedication to their communities, their State and their Nation; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to commend Corporal Milton B. Baker upon the occasion of designation as recipient of a Liberty Medal, the highest honor bestowed upon an individual by the New York State Senate; and be it further RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be transmitted to Milton B. Baker.