Excerpt from the Fall 2023 issue of The Extension
My parents married soon after my father received his draft notice for World War II. My sister was born in 1942 while he was serving in Germany. He returned home on the Queen Mary in September of 1945. I came along in 1948. My mother was the disciplinarian in our household. My father, though he had a temper, was usually the old softie. If I could make it to his lap as he sat in his favorite rocking chair, she couldn’t touch me. Needless to say, I adored my father. When I was 12 years old, he literally saved my life.
A school friend hosted a slumber party that featured a scavenger hunt. Her mother warned us not to go near a construction site in the neighborhood, but it was too tempting. I stepped on a board with an exposed nail that went right through my Keds and deep into my foot. Later that night as I developed a high fever, the girls played nurse. The next morning as everyone was leaving, the hostess begged me not to say anything or she would get into serious trouble.
When I got dropped off at home, I told my sister what had happened. Both our parents were at work. Daddy returned home around noon and Sandy relayed the story. He came running into our bedroom and pulled back the covers. He could see the red line going up my leg. He snatched me up from the bed, carried me to the car, and drove to the nearest doctor’s office. Fortunately, Dr. Casebere’s home was right next to this office. Daddy pounded on the door until he answered. A tetanus shot soon put things to right.
But he wasn’t just my personal hero, he was also a genuine war hero. His division landed on Normandy during the initial invasion. They freed the “Lost Battalion,” blitzed across France, fought in Bastogne and the Bulge and pulled up just outside Berlin. He attained the rank of Technical Sergeant. Recently, while I was looking for something else, I came across his citation for the Bronze Star. It concludes: “For several weeks, this platoon sergeant performed the duties of section leader in the absence of an officer, during which time his outstanding leadership and great personal bravery were an inspiration to his men and aided immeasurably in the successful operation of his organization. Sergeant Baird’s courage, initiative, and zealous performance of his duty honor his character as a soldier.”
