Dick W. Bakker

Submitted by: D. Kent Decker {nephew}

Dick W Bakker born around 1896. Dick Bakker served in World War 1 with the United States Army . The enlistment was in 1918 and the service was completed in 1918.

Story of Service

 

Private First Class Dick W. Bakker, Company E, 308th Infantry. In just four months, Dick Bakker went from managing a grain elevator in Renville, Minnesota, to deadly battle in the Argonne Forest as part of the Lost Battalion.

He wrote thirty-two descriptive and heart wrenching letters home that are woven into The Journey: An American Soldier in World War I. The letters provide a unique insight into life in the training camps and along the train routes as America rushed troops and equipment to the Western Front.

The Journey, an American Soldier in World War 1, commemorates Dick's service amidst the turmoil that gripped the country during that hurried summer of 1918. The story includes heart-breaking letters from Dick’s mother as the Bakker family struggled to cope with the tragedy of war .

Read Dick's story: The Journey, An American Soldier in World War I available on Amazon.