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| Thurston Richard Baxter
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| NO. 17722 • 9 December 1928 - 31 December 1952 |
| Missing in action. Changed to: killed in action 31 December 1952, aged 24 years.
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DICK BAXTER was born 9 December 1928 at Fort Sam Houston
Hospital in San Antonio, Texas. His parents, Lieutenant Thurston H. Baxter and
Mina O'Bryan Baxter were stationed at Brooks Field, Texas where his father was
assigned as a flying instructor. Dick's childhood was spent at various Army Air
Corps stations until, in 1939, his father was assigned to the office of the
chief of the Air Corps, and Dick became a Washingtonian. There he reached the
senior rank in scouting, Eagle Scout, in only two years, and in 1946 he
graduated from St. Alban's School.
This background had several effects on Dick's future
life. First of all, not yet 18 when he entered, lie was one of the youngest
members of the Class of 1950, a class that had a large number of older and
experienced veterans. If, in the competitive environment of cadet life, this
put him at some disadvantage, his background also gave him two offsetting
advantages. One was an excellent academic preparation, so that was never a
serious problem to him. The second, and more important, advantage was his
driving determination that he would fly as an officer in the Air Force.
An intensely private person, only his
roommates really came close to knowing him. They recall his keenly
competitive nature, a puckish sense of humor, and a determination to
be himself. One roommate recalls his competitive nature in a
situation which arose as to who should have the right to pursue the
affections of a blonde model who had attracted their attention. The
matter was settled by a race over the obstacle course in the gym.
Dick won by a few seconds, but it soon turned out that Dick hadn't
been that interested in the
young lady to begin with.
Then there was the time he returned from leave with a
stuffed teddy bear, which he decreed would be displayed on the mantlepiece as
his mascot. The Tac, however, on an inspection when Dick was not room orderly,
made it clear that there was a penalty associated with this display of
individuality. His roommates, especially the one who had absorbed the gig,
negotiated a treaty with him that the mascot would occupy its place of honor
only when Dick was room orderly. Thereafter, with some circumspection as to
when the Tac was likely to be around, the mascot continued to hold its post
during Dick's turns as room orderly.
After graduation, Dick achieved his lifetime ambition,
entering the Air Force, completing basic flight training, and going on to
advanced training in F-51 Mustangs at Craig Air Force Base in Selma,
Alabama. While at Craig, he met and married Anne Jo Ross. After only a month of
married life he left for Korea and duty with the 39th Fighter Interceptor
Squadron, 18th Fighter Wing. There, on 21 December 1951, on a divebombing
mission, his aircraft impacted the ground, presumably as a result of ground
fire, in a crash that he was unlikely to have survived. No report of him as a
prisoner of war was ever received, and no remains were returned. He was
declared dead on 31 December 1952.
His memorial is a plaque in the Chapel of St. Alban's
School. Its inscription reads:
"They shall not grow old as we that are left grow old.
"Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
"At the going down of the sun and in the morning,
"We will remember them."
The thought that can be added to that is that Dick
Baxter died in the achievement of his life's ambition.
- Frank King
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USMA 1950