Victor F. Baldwin

"A day will come when a cannon will be exhibited in museums just as instruments of torture are now, and the people will be astonished that such a thing could have been.'" These were the famous words of Victor Hugo, a French poet that touch people dearly. Mr. and Mrs. Louis F. Baldwin might have agreed when they were given the tragic news in late October of 1944. They received a message informing them that their son, Victor F. Baldwin was killed in the Pacific area. Victor F. Baldwin was ranked as a Seaman Second class in the Navy. A Seaman Second class usually would have the job of taking care of the ship, such as painting or keeping the deck clean. They might also have the job of engineering or being security to the personal people assigned to the ship. Whose to know how far this man could have gone, but due to his death at age twenty-one, he could only prove himself so much.

Before Victor F. Baldwin entered the Navy, he was just a typical high school boy. He was involved in band, choir, glee club, and hockey at Lincoln High School in Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin. His life was completely turned around when Victor entered the Navy on July 6, 1943, about a month after his senior year at high school. He first received his initial training at Great Lakes, Illinois. Great Lakes is the third largest navel base. Throughout the weeks of training, the recruits go through military drills, physical fitness training, and instruction; this is considered to be the toughest three weeks of recruit training. Victor F. Baldwin then was sent to naval air training in Nashville, Tennessee. While in Memphis, Victor became ill with scarlet fever, which was later followed by rheumatic fever. Scarlet fever is similar to strep throat, but one will also develop a strawberry colored rash, covering a great portion of one's body. Rheumatic fever is an inflammatory disease that is caused by uncured strep throat, and can follow after scarlet fever. After two months of being hospitalized in Memphis, Tennessee, Victor spent another month in New Orleans, Louisiana where he soon recovered. Victor F. Baldwin's sickness was just a small speed bump in the road, and when he recovered he was back on track. He was sent to Treasure Island, California in April of 1944. Treasure Island was a manmade island located in the San Francisco Bay. After that, Victor went to Bremerton, Washington to receive more training. Victor F. Baldwin went overseas on August 18, 1944, and was there for only a short time before his death.

Victor F. Baldwin was killed in the Pacific while aboard a United States destroyer, a fast moving warship that escorted larger vessel ships. The exact attack Victor was killed in is unknown, but there is one very likely situation. On October 25, 1944, right around Victor's death, the first kamikaze attacks occurred against the United States warships. The attack from Japan took place in the Leyte Gulf, which is located just off the island of Leyte in the Philippines. Even though Victor would have had the job of keeping the deck in line, that did not stop him from serving, protecting, and fighting for his country!

Marshfield Junior High