Mechanicsburg Area High School
Alumni Association
Hall of Fame
After graduating
from Mechanicsburg High School, Bob Baker
enlisted in the U.S. Army and attended the
Corps of Engineers School at Ft. Belvoir, VA.
He served from 1962-65 with the rank of
SP4. With the education he acquired in the
Army, Bob worked for United Engineers in
Cherry Hill, NJ, and Brown & Root Engineers
in Houston, TX. Bob earned a license in
both Texas and Florida as a self-employed
land surveyor. In 1995 he was forced to
retire due to medical disabilities that were
incurred while in the military.
After much persistence, Bob was awarded
100% disability pay retroactive to 1967 for
his service- connected injuries. He donated
a significant amount back to the Veterans
Benefits Program in Washington, DC.
Due to his difficulty in receiving benefits
himself, Bob has since become an important
advocate for other military veterans who
struggle to get help from the federal
government.
At his own expense, Bob traveled
throughout Texas from 2000-2004 founding
Vietnam Veterans of America chapters in
16 communities. By 2006 there were 26
chapters in Texas. He is a Life Member of
the Vietnam Veterans of America (VVA) and
has served as Texas State Council Agent
Orange Chair and Membership Start-up
Chair. He is a Life Member of the Disabled
American Veterans, a member of the Second
Infantry Division Association, the Second
Engineers Combat Association, the American
Legion, a Director of the Order of the Silver
Rose and a Trustee for the Chapel of the
Four Chaplains.
Bob has received numerous Awards
of Appreciation by the VVA Region 7,
comprised of the states of Texas, Arkansas,
Louisiana and Oklahoma in recognition
of his tireless efforts, unfading loyalty
and unmatched devotion to his Vietnam
Brothers and Sisters and many, many other
honors. After being appointed Trustee
of the Chapel of the Four Chaplains in
2006 he was awarded the prestigious
Bronze Medalion for selfless service to the
community. In 2007 Bob conducted the
Chapel of Four Chaplains at Base Chapel at
the Philadelphia Naval Yard where several
MHS graduates were inducted into the
Legion of Honor. In August of 2008 he will
be conducting ceremonies at the American
Legion National Convention in Phoenix and
at the FBI National Convention in Hawaii.
In his home community of Schulenburg, Texas, he has been honored by the Schulenburg Chamber of Commerce as Parade Marshal at the Annual Lighted Parade in recognition of his long-term service to the children, community and VVA. For many years Bob has played the role of Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny for many Schulenburg organizations and appeared annually as the featured guest in the town’s Christmas Parade along with his wife as Mrs. Claus.
Bob is married to his wife, Bonnie. He
has three sons: David, a disabled Gulf War
Army veteran, who lives in Texas; Thomas
who works for Emeril Lagasse at Delmonico’s
Steak House in Las Vegas and Jeff, an
engineer living in Pennsylvania. He has
three stepdaughters: Heather, a lawyer;
Michelle, a buyer for a high tech company;
and Brooke, a medical student in Budapest.
Dorian Baker Neil, ’66, is his sister and his
brother, Fred Baker, ’59 is deceased.
