Robert Thomas Baird, Jr.
Snellville, GA- A good soldier and prince of a gentleman, Robert Thomas Baird, Jr., 95, gave up fighting the good fight Friday, September 7, 2012.
Memorial services will be held 10 a.m., Saturday, September 15, 2012 in the chapel of Macon Memorial Park Funeral Home, with full military honors. Chaplain (Captain) Andy Parker will be officiating, assisted by Chaplain George Odongo, of Evercare Hospice. Caregivers from Sunrise At Five Forks Assisted Living and Evercare Hospice will be honorary pallbearers.
As a U. S. Army draftee after graduating from Lanier Senior High School for Boys in Macon, GA, he fought through Europe during World War II as an infantry captain assigned to the 10th Infantry Regiment, 5th Infantry Division. Campaigns included Normandy, Northern France, Ardennes, Rhineland, and Central Europe. He separated from the active component in December, 1945.
Following the war, he did much of the "pick and shovel" work to organize the post war Georgia Army Guard 48th Infantry Division as Division Administrative Officer. He ascended to become Chief of Staff of the 48th Armored Division until deactivation of the Division in 1968. He was then assigned to the staff of the Adjutant General of Georgia, where he was Chief of Staff of the Army National Guard. He retired in 1972 as a federally recognized Colonel and was appointed to the State Retired Rolls of the Georgia Army Guard as Brigadier General.
He immediately went to work on the staff of Commissioner Pete Wheeler at the Georgia Department of Veterans Service. As an accredited Senior Claims Counselor, his mission was to represent Georgia troops in appeal of Veterans Administration rulings before formal adjudication hearings. He was iconic in his ability to win rulings in favor of the Georgia Veteran. Mr. Baird retired from the Georgia Department of Veterans Service in 1983, but continued to work claims for aggrieved Georgia troops, and expanded into IRS and medical insurance issues, as a private citizen.
Most notable military schools include The Infantry Officer Candidate School (OCS), Fort Benning, GA, Command and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, KS, and The Industrial College Of The Armed Forces, Washington, D.C. He was past president of numerous service organizations, to include the Georgia National Guard Association, and the Greater Atlanta Chapter of the Association of the United States Army (AUSA.) Other awards, honors, and achievements are too lengthy to list, and out of character with his demeanor.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Era Copeland Baird, and was son of Mattie Cass Baird and Robert Thomas Baird, Sr., of Macon, GA.
Survivors include his son, Robert T. Baird, III and his wife, Joy, of Snellville; his stepdaughter, Sue Kahn of Decatur; four grandchildren and four great grandchildren.
The Family suggests that in lieu of flowers, memorial contributions be made to the Georgia National Guard Family Support Foundation, Inc., 1000 Halsey Ave, Bldg. 447, 840 Finch Center, Marietta, GA 30060.
Macon Memorial Park Funeral Home and Cemetery has charge of arrangements.
Published in The Telegraph on September 14, 2012
Robert Thomas Baird, Jr.
Snellville, GA- A good soldier and prince of a gentleman, Robert Thomas Baird, Jr., 95, gave up fighting the good fight Friday, September 7, 2012.
Memorial services will be held 10 a.m., Saturday, September 15, 2012 in the chapel of Macon Memorial Park Funeral Home, with full military honors. Chaplain (Captain) Andy Parker will be officiating, assisted by Chaplain George Odongo, of Evercare Hospice. Caregivers from Sunrise At Five Forks Assisted Living and Evercare Hospice will be honorary pallbearers.
As a U. S. Army draftee after graduating from Lanier Senior High School for Boys in Macon, GA, he fought through Europe during World War II as an infantry captain assigned to the 10th Infantry Regiment, 5th Infantry Division. Campaigns included Normandy, Northern France, Ardennes, Rhineland, and Central Europe. He separated from the active component in December, 1945.
Following the war, he did much of the "pick and shovel" work to organize the post war Georgia Army Guard 48th Infantry Division as Division Administrative Officer. He ascended to become Chief of Staff of the 48th Armored Division until deactivation of the Division in 1968. He was then assigned to the staff of the Adjutant General of Georgia, where he was Chief of Staff of the Army National Guard. He retired in 1972 as a federally recognized Colonel and was appointed to the State Retired Rolls of the Georgia Army Guard as Brigadier General.
He immediately went to work on the staff of Commissioner Pete Wheeler at the Georgia Department of Veterans Service. As an accredited Senior Claims Counselor, his mission was to represent Georgia troops in appeal of Veterans Administration rulings before formal adjudication hearings. He was iconic in his ability to win rulings in favor of the Georgia Veteran. Mr. Baird retired from the Georgia Department of Veterans Service in 1983, but continued to work claims for aggrieved Georgia troops, and expanded into IRS and medical insurance issues, as a private citizen.
Most notable military schools include The Infantry Officer Candidate School (OCS), Fort Benning, GA, Command and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, KS, and The Industrial College Of The Armed Forces, Washington, D.C. He was past president of numerous service organizations, to include the Georgia National Guard Association, and the Greater Atlanta Chapter of the Association of the United States Army (AUSA.) Other awards, honors, and achievements are too lengthy to list, and out of character with his demeanor.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Era Copeland Baird, and was son of Mattie Cass Baird and Robert Thomas Baird, Sr., of Macon, GA.
Survivors include his son, Robert T. Baird, III and his wife, Joy, of Snellville; his stepdaughter, Sue Kahn of Decatur; four grandchildren and four great grandchildren.
The Family suggests that in lieu of flowers, memorial contributions be made to the Georgia National Guard Family Support Foundation, Inc., 1000 Halsey Ave, Bldg. 447, 840 Finch Center, Marietta, GA 30060.
Macon Memorial Park Funeral Home and Cemetery has charge of arrangements.
Published in The Telegraph on September 14, 2012
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