THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA

HOUSE RESOLUTION

INTRODUCED BY MARSICO, HELM, PAYNE, BUXTON, GRELL, HICKERNELL, BAKER, BELFANTI, BEYER, BRADFORD, BRENNAN, BROOKS, CALTAGIRONE, CIVERA, CLYMER, COHEN, CONKLIN, COX, CREIGHTON, DALEY, DiGIROLAMO, DONATUCCI, EVERETT, FAIRCHILD, FARRY, FLECK, GABLER, GEIST, GEORGE, GINGRICH, GOODMAN, GROVE, GRUCELA, HARHART, HENNESSEY, KAUFFMAN, M. KELLER, KILLION, KNOWLES, KORTZ, KOTIK, MAHER, MAJOR, MARKOSEK, MARSHALL, MATZIE, MELIO, METZGAR, MICOZZIE, MILLARD, MOUL, MURT, MUSTIO, OBERLANDER, M. O'BRIEN, O'NEILL, PHILLIPS, PICKETT, PYLE, QUINN, RAPP, ROAE, ROHRER, ROSS, SANTONI, SAYLOR, SEIP, SIPTROTH, STEVENSON, SWANGER, TALLMAN, R. TAYLOR, TURZAI, VEREB, VULAKOVICH AND YOUNGBLOOD, APRIL 15, 2010

INTRODUCED AS NONCONTROVERSIAL RESOLUTION UNDER RULE 35, APRIL 15, 2010  

A RESOLUTION

Honoring the life of Colonel Alfred W. Baker, a true American

patriot.

WHEREAS, Alfred W. Baker of Susquehanna Township, Dauphin

County, passed away on March 5, 2010, leaving behind his wife,

Joan; his brother, Joseph; six children; 17 grandchildren; and

two great-grandchildren; and

WHEREAS, After serving more than 31 years in the United

States Army, he retired in 1994 with the rank of Colonel; and

WHEREAS, His assignments included three tours in Vietnam

commanding a Mechanized Infantry Battalion for three years as a

lieutenant colonel, after which he was sent to the Middle East

to command United States Forces in a five-country area and to

serve in Lebanon as the Commander of the United Nations Observer

Group Lebanon; and

WHEREAS, After attending the United States Army War College

in Carlisle, Colonel Baker returned to Beirut, Lebanon, to lead

the effort to rebuild the Lebanese Army, arriving just days

before a terrorist bomb destroyed the Marine barracks in Beirut;

and

WHEREAS, Subsequent to commanding a brigade at Fort Jackson,

South Carolina, Colonel Baker returned to the Middle East as

Chief of Staff of the Multinational Force and Observers in

Sinai, Egypt, and there he was assigned to Berlin, Germany,

where he was Chief of Staff, assigned to close out the United

States Military presence in Berlin, after having first

transitioned the power of administering the city back to local

officials; and

WHEREAS, The Los Angeles Times Magazine quoted the Department

of Defense as stating that Colonel Baker was "one of the most

decorated soldiers in the Army"; and

WHEREAS, Colonel Baker's awards and decorations include the

Silver Star for gallantry in action, multiple awards of the

Defense Superior Service Medal, multiple awards of the Legion of

Merit, three awards of the Bronze Star, three awards of the

Meritorious Service Medal, four awards of the Purple Heart medal

(for wounds received in battle) and many other service and

achievement medals; and

WHEREAS, Colonel Baker's awards from other agencies include

the Department of State Honor Medal, the CIA Medallion, the

German Cross of Honor, the National Order of the Cedars (issued

by the Lebanese Government) and numerous other international,

national and departmental honors; and

WHEREAS, Stories about Colonel Baker's exploits have appeared

in the New York Times, Washington Post, LA Times, The

Philadelphia Inquirer, The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, The Patriot-

News and many other newspapers; and

WHEREAS, Colonel Baker was interviewed on "Journey of City,"

a national broadcast on PBS, spoke at many universities and

participated in international and national forums; and

WHEREAS, In January 2002, Harrisburg Magazine selected the

retired colonel as one of the "Movers and Shakers of Harrisburg"

and Mayor Reed honored him as an "Outstanding Citizen"; and

WHEREAS, Colonel Baker is also believed to be a model for the

main character in the movie "Apocalypse Now"; and

WHEREAS, Since 1995, Colonel Baker served as President and

CEO of Pennsylvania Industries for the Blind and Handicapped, a

company which markets products and services provided by people

with disabilities throughout this Commonwealth, where he

increased annual revenues from $8 million per year to nearly $40

million per year and provided work for more than 4,000 people

that would otherwise be unable to work; and

WHEREAS, In 2003, under Colonel Baker's leadership, the

American Business Awards presented Pennsylvania Industries for

the Blind and Handicapped with the inaugural Stevie Award as the

"Best Overall Company" in the nation; and

WHEREAS, Colonel Baker also worked to employ clients of

agencies such as Goodwill Industries, Easter Seals of Western

Pennsylvania, county blind associations and centers for

retardation and was a founding member of the Heroes Grove

Advisory Committee, which is currently raising funds for a park

honoring Pennsylvania veterans, law enforcement officials,

military personnel and emergency responders; and

WHEREAS, Colonel Baker has also helped the Special Olympics

of Dauphin, Cumberland, Perry and Northern York Counties by

sponsoring and organizing an annual golf outing, the largest

one-day fundraiser of the Special Olympics; and

WHEREAS, Colonel Baker and his wife, Joan, ran RAE's Tobacco

Shop, a Harrisburg landmark and company which strongly supports

America's service members, and in 2008 he was awarded the

Pennsylvania Achievement Medal by order of the Governor for his

care of Pennsylvania soldiers; and

WHEREAS, Colonel Baker was President of the National State

Use Programs Association, was chosen by Governor Ridge as a

Pennsylvania Ambassador and served on many boards and

commissions; therefore be it

RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives honor the life of

Colonel Alfred W. Baker by recognizing his lifetime achievements

and his dedicated service to his country, his Commonwealth and

his fellow citizens; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a copy of this resolution be transmitted to

his wife at 1021 Blue Ridge Road, Harrisburg, PA 17110.