awmartin Posted September 29, 2017 Share #1 Posted September 29, 2017 Hi, I unexpectedly received this from my friend today and am wondering if someone could help me with finding out more information on the sailor. I'm not the best at researching, so all that I found was to an army soldier who died as a POW in the Philippines. The purple heart is engraved: Ernest F. Baca CCS, USN Thank you very much! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Squeaker Posted September 29, 2017 Share #2 Posted September 29, 2017 https://findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSln=baca&GSfn=ernest&GSbyrel=all&GSdyrel=all&GSob=n&GRid=56754279&df=all& Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tarbridge Posted September 29, 2017 Share #3 Posted September 29, 2017 KILLED IN ACTION - USS COLUMBIA CL-56, 01/06/1945 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jguy1986 Posted September 30, 2017 Share #4 Posted September 30, 2017 He was also aboard the USS San Fransisco (CA-38) during the attack on Pearl Harbor. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cw1979 Posted September 30, 2017 Share #5 Posted September 30, 2017 Wikipedia On 1 January 1945, Columbia sailed for the landings in Lingayen Gulf and on 6 January, as pre-invasion bombardments were getting underway, Japanese kamikaze attacks began. Columbia suffered a near miss by a kamikaze and then another of the kamikaze planes struck on her port quarter by a second. The plane and its bomb penetrated two decks before exploding, killing 13 and wounding 44 of the crew, putting her aft turrets out of action, and setting the ship afire. Prompt flooding of two magazines prevented further explosions, and impressive damage control measures enabled Columbia to complete her bombardment with her two operative forward turrets, and remain in action to give close support to underwater demolition teams. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aerialbridge Posted September 30, 2017 Share #6 Posted September 30, 2017 Columbia (CL-56), just before and after being hit by a Zeke-type "Japanese suicide plane" on 6 January '45, 1729, as seen from the Portland (CA-33). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aerialbridge Posted September 30, 2017 Share #7 Posted September 30, 2017 . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aerialbridge Posted September 30, 2017 Share #8 Posted September 30, 2017 . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Posted September 30, 2017 Share #9 Posted September 30, 2017 Very nice of your friend to send those! Super pair! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
US82Bravo Posted September 30, 2017 Share #10 Posted September 30, 2017 There is more to Chief Baca's story. He was a passenger on the USS Columbia as a survivor of the sinking of the USS Ommaney Bay (CVE-79). Ommaney Bay was struck by a suicide plane on 4 January 1945 in the Northern Sulu Sea. The damage resulted in the abandoning of the ship and it being sunk by torpedo from the USS Burns. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
US82Bravo Posted September 30, 2017 Share #11 Posted September 30, 2017 Summation sheet from the USS Ommaney Bay final muster roll. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
US82Bravo Posted September 30, 2017 Share #12 Posted September 30, 2017 Chief Baca died of wounds received as a result of the kamikaze attack on the USS Columbia on 6 January 1945 and was buried at sea 8 January 1945. Chief Baca, you are not forgotten. Larry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
awmartin Posted October 2, 2017 Author Share #13 Posted October 2, 2017 Wow, that's an amazing history. It's a reminder of what the greatest generation had to go through, and the sacrifices that many had to pay. Thank you to everyone who took the time to research this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aerialbridge Posted October 15, 2017 Share #14 Posted October 15, 2017 Beautiful pair of medals, aw, with great service history. Would this have definitely been a Type 2 Navy Purple Heart? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KASTAUFFER Posted October 15, 2017 Share #15 Posted October 15, 2017 Most likely a type II. The only difference between a type II and a III is the brooch assuming it's a US Mint contract medal. Kurt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aerialbridge Posted October 15, 2017 Share #16 Posted October 15, 2017 Thanks for that information, Kurt. They are a wonderful tribute earned by an adoptive son of Southern California that gave his all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aerialbridge Posted October 15, 2017 Share #17 Posted October 15, 2017 Most likely a type II. The only difference between a type II and a III is the brooch assuming it's a US Mint contract medal. Kurt Are there any officially engraved USN KIA PH's from WW2 that are anything other than US Mint production? I had thought that was a given? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KASTAUFFER Posted October 15, 2017 Share #18 Posted October 15, 2017 Some US Army Purple Hearts , numbered and unnumbered, were used by the USN for posthumous awards during 1945-46. Kurt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aerialbridge Posted October 15, 2017 Share #19 Posted October 15, 2017 Some US Army Purple Hearts , numbered and unnumbered, were used by the USN for posthumous awards during 1945-46 Okay, thanks. This one appears to have the silver suspension to the planchet where the gold-colored plating has worn off. If that were the case, is that an indication of anything? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KASTAUFFER Posted October 15, 2017 Share #20 Posted October 15, 2017 Yes, that proves it is a US Mint contract medal. On Army purple hearts the suspension ring is bronze. You can also tell by the suspension lug on the medal. The Navy contracts have a barrel shaped lug where the army ones are more pointy. Kurt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aerialbridge Posted October 15, 2017 Share #21 Posted October 15, 2017 Kurt, as always, thanks for sharing your knowledge. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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