Eric M. Baker

Eric Melville Baker (31 May 1918 in Johannesburg - 1985) was a South African Lieutenant Colonel in the South African Air Force during World War II. Eric Baker, son of a chief engineer in a company Exposive, was born in Johannesburg 31 May 1918 following his studies at Durban High School in Rhodes, and earns a BS from the University of Natal. It serves as a soldier in the First Regiment of the City before joining the SAAF. He then performed two tours of operations and flies in East Africa, North Africa, Sicily and Italy, winning two confirmed victories during this period. From May 1941 to January 1942, he served with Squadron 4 / SAAF. He was briefly attached to Squadron 1 / SAAF in October 1941. From January to March 1942, with the Squadron 2 / SAAF he fights, winning on this occasion his first successes at Tobruk. He then returned to South Africa where it flies within the Squadron 10 / SAAF until December 1942. He then joined the Squadron 3 / SAAF and took command of the unit in April 1943. In August, he was transferred to the head of the Squadron 5 / SAAF. With this Squadron he won his last two wins. He led the unit until January 1944 after which he returned to South Africa where he received the DSO 7 April 1944. In May 1944 he returned to Italy to join the staff of Wing 239 until September 1944. He then returns home and takes the head of the school from March to 27 June 1945. After the war, he joined the Vacuum Oil Company in the City of Cape in 1946 before studying Managment at Harvard in Massachusetts in 1959. He then returned to South Africa to become Director of the Southern Africa Lt Socony and Marketing Director Mobil Oil Ltd.
Awards
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Distinguished Flying Cross on 25 January 1944 as Major in the No. 5 Squadron, Royal South African Air Force
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Distinguished Service Order on 7 April 1944 as Major in the No. 5 Squadron, Royal South African Air Force

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