Lt. William H. Baker's Diary

Navigator, 600th Squadron

Diary History

  1. Veteran/Position/Squadron/Crew:
    1. Lt. William Harold Baker
    2. B-17 Navigator
    3. 600th Squadron
    4. V. A. Hansard Crew
  2. Original Diary Location:
     The handwritten original diary is with Lt. William H. Baker's niece, Sandra Averhart. Sandra Averhart provided a copy of the diary to Lee Anne Bradley, 398th Group Historian.
  3. Copies at Key Repositories:
    1. 8th AF Heritage Museum in Savannah: No
    2. Hertfordshire Archives: No
    3. 398th's Wally Blackwell: No
    4. 398th's Lee Bradley: paper and electronic
    5. 398th's Jack's Books: No
    6. 398th's Dave Jordan: paper and electronic
    7. 398th's Allen Ostrom: No
    8. 398th Web Site/Archive: electronic
  4. Period Covered:
     The diary lists key locations and dates beginning with their departure on 7 July 1944 from Pyote AAB in Texas to their arrival at Nuthampstead on 27 August 1944. Lt. Baker then begins relating the events of his missions and various off mission days from 5 Sepember 1944 to his 20th mission on 10 November 1944.
  5. When written:
     Written at the end of the day or shortly after each event from 5 September 1944 to 10 November 1944.
  6. Transcriber to Electronic Text:
     In early 2006 Lee Anne Bradley, 398th Group Historian transcribed the original Baker diary to electronic text for the 398th Web Page.
  7. Contact Information:
     Comments or corrections about this diary can be sent to the 398th Comment Coordinator.
  8. Epilogue:
     The Hansard Prop Blade Presentation - May 21, 2005 by Wally Blackwell and Sandra Averhart relate what happened on the day Harold Baker was killed on 25 November 1944.