The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-12-23

he had the honor of being the only
man decorated at that time. 49,
Usually" he explained, 'Ihe men
who are destined to honors, are Hned
Ter the honors, goes down the line.
pinnins-on the medals" He was the
only man for decoration. and the king
HIMSELF being at headquarters, be-
slowed the medal.
Among those who saw him so hon
ored was the Duke of Aosta, who be-
came greatly interested in him. The
duke had had a medal struck with
which to decorate his own famous
Third army" heroes who had rem
dered unusually brave service In the
turning point of the career of the Ital-
ian army from defeat to victory. The
medal is a white cross, designed by
one of the greatest Italian artists, and
adorned with the coat of arms of the
duke. and surmounted by the ducai
crown. No other American except
Baker. and in fact. no other man not
an italian, will ever possess the deco
ration. 1t is considered an exclusive
ly Italian honor, and Is limited in
number to 1000. Its bestowal is one
of the highest marks of distinction
that can be earned in Italy.
Story of His Heroism.
The story of the granting of the
honor to the yonng Topeka hero has
to do with his devotion to his work in
the great June offensive at the stra-
tegic point commanding the Piave
section. Baker had in his charge
three severely wounded men, driving
in pitch darkness along narrow road.
A truck crowded for room to pass.
struck Bakers ambulance, and over
it went into the ditch. 1t rolled twice
over Bakers body, breaking the lower
ribs, and then throwing him ten feet
clear Of the machine. He picked him
self up, dragged his wounded pas
sengers to the roadway, and got them
onto the first truck passing to the
hospital. 1t was-ehen for him to de-
eide whether to return to safety and
to treatment Of his injuries, or to stay
with his car and try to get it to the
road before it should be demolished
in the morning. He decided, he said,
| man easier than it could get a new
| ambulance SO he stayed by the car
and took the chance of being shot
when it should be discovered. He got
the ambulance back early in the
morning before it was discovered by
the enemy.
The Dukes Honors.
The story of the young mans ad-
venture reached the Duke of Aosta,
! cherished medal upon him. He asked
for a private interview with him. HE
| talked to me for twenty minutes"
Baker declared, land even rose to
| greet me, which is something that he
\ is said never to do except in meeting
persons of the nobility" He asked
that Baker correspond him, and the
| two men frequently exchange letters
| still. 4
at was the Duke of Aosta," Baker
said, who asked to be permitted to
| hold the lines of his army, even
against the advice of Haig, Foch, and
Diaz, who advised a retreat to the Pc,
| and the valiant Third army. led by
| British achievements. that saved the
| day for ITALY,
\ of the June offensive. when 100000
| men of the Austrian army were
1 caught in three different pockets on
one bank of the Piave. The river.
rising after they had crossed, swept
/ away their supplies and pontoon
4 ammunition. The italians located
them and put over fierce barrage
Thousands and thousands of them
were killed. and practically the whole
the unburied bodies of those dead men
| days afterward, when the bodies fell
to pieces if an attempt was made t.
move them. Il
One of the unpublished stories oil
the great failure of the Austrian army
l
told by Baker. The Austrian soldiers
before the drive began which was to
| result in the taking of Venice, il the
cards had fallen right for them. were
paid in orders oh> the banks of Venice
That plan saved the Austrians the
wages of their soldiers and added ar
incentive for the men to go in and
/ fight not so much for their country al
for their pay checks. The banks OF
i Venice were to foot the bills. "Bu'
4 the soldiers never got to Venice to cash
those checks, and when the dead were
searched their pockets were bullying
| with the worthless paper" Bakersaid
| Overseas in April.
Milford Baker, who will have fin.
| tshed a course in Harvard university
this spring in business management
and finance, entered the Red eros:
service from Harvard last spring, an(
was sent over IN April. He warked al
thru the June offensive, and was still
on duty thru October drives. HI
was at work six months without vaca
ton. tho it is customary for men il
that service to receive occasional res
periods of two weeks. After the an
nouncement of his engagement to tn,
countess was announced in Rome, h
returned to the states. The Eterna
City has its own special interest t,
the young Kansas hero, for it is tn,
capital of the country which is to b.
his future home; it is the place wher
his betrothal was made public. and il
that city is the bronze tablet which
bears his name as one of the winner
Of the Duke of Aosta's white cross.
ALL CLOSED TlGHT7