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The only living African American recipient of the Medal of Honor has died.
Vernon Baker, who received the nation's highest award for battlefield valor
during World War II, died at his home in Idaho at the age of 90.
In 1944, 2nd Lieutenant Baker and his platoon came under enemy fire in northern Tuscany
in Italy. He and his men killed 26 enemy soldiers, destroyed
6 machine gun nests, 2 observer posts, and 4 dugouts.
No African American soldiers were awarded the Medal of Honor during World War II.
But in 1993, the Army conducted a study to determine if there had been any racial
disparity in the selection of Medal of Honor recipients.
Congress had to pass legislation to allow the president to award those medals
because the statutory limit for presentation had expired.
President Clinton presented the Medal of Honor to Baker in 1997.