Baker, David Raymond
Male
Verified Lance Corporal David Raymond Baker, 22, of Painesville, Ohio, was a U.S. Marine killed in action on October 20, 2009, in Nawa District, Afghanistan.
Their Story
David Raymond Baker was a 22-year-old from Painesville, Ohio. He served as a Lance Corporal in the United States Marine Corps, assigned to Weapons Company, 1st Battalion, 5th Marines, Regimental Combat Team 3, 2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade (Forward). The battalion was based out of Camp Pendleton, California.
On October 20, 2009, Baker was killed by enemy small-arms fire during combat operations in Nawa District, Helmand Province, Afghanistan. The operation was part of a larger, sustained effort by U.S. and allied forces to clear the district of Taliban insurgents.
Baker's death occurred during Operation Enduring Freedom, the U.S.-led military campaign in Afghanistan that began in October 2001. In the summer of 2009, U.S. Marines launched a major offensive in Helmand Province, a Taliban stronghold, with the 1st Battalion, 5th Marines playing a central role in the Nawa and Garmsir districts.
Baker's body was returned to Ohio for burial. He was posthumously awarded the Purple Heart. His death was reported by local Ohio media and the Department of Defense, which noted his sacrifice alongside other Marines from his unit killed in the same period.
Baker is remembered on memorial walls in his hometown and by his battalion. His name is inscribed on the 1st Battalion, 5th Marines memorial at Camp Pendleton and is included on the national memorials honoring those who died in the Afghanistan War.
Explore Further
Lance Corporal Baker was killed during Operation Enduring Freedom (2001?2014). The conflict concluded in December 2014. See the full roster of those killed in this conflict.
Among those documented in the same conflict: Andrews, Evander Earl, Edmunds, Jonn Joseph, Stonesifer, Kristofor Tif, Davis, Bryant Leroy.
