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{{Infobox military person
| name = Robert Baird
|image = RobertBairdusmcRobertBaird.jpg
| birth_date = November 13, 1921
| death_date = {{Death date and age|1992|7|7|1921|11|13}}
| birth_place = [[Los Angeles, California]], US
| death_place = [[Sonoma County, California]], US
| placeofburial = [[Arlington National Cemetery]]
| allegiance = [[United States of America]]
| branch = {{flag|United States Navy}}<br />{{Flag|United States Marine Corps}}
| serviceyears = 1942–1971
| servicenumber = 0-20565
| rank = [[File:US-O6 insignia.svg|25px]] [[Colonel (United States)|Colonel]]
| unit = [[VMFA(AW)-533|Marine Night Fighting Squadron 533 (VMF(N)-533)]]
| battles = '''[[World War II]]'''
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| awards = [[Navy Cross]]<br/>[[Silver Star]]<br/>[[Legion of Merit]] w/ [[Combat "V"]]<br/>[[Distinguished Flying Cross (United States)|Distinguished Flying Cross]]
}}
 
'''Robert Baird''' (November 13, 1921 – July 7, 1992) was a highly decorated [[United States Marine Corps]] [[Colonel]]. During World War II, he shot down a total of six Japanese planes and was awarded the [[Navy Cross]], making him the only Marine [[night fighter]] [[Flying ace|ace]] of the war.
 
== Early life and career ==
Robert Baird was born on November 13, 1921, in [[Los Angeles|Los Angeles, California]].<ref name=":0">{{cite web|url=https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/34392031/robert-kent-baird|title=Col Robert Kent "Black Mac" Baird, Sr|work=[[Find A Grave]]}}</ref> He enlisted in the [[United States Navy]] on July 30, 1942. Entering the Aviation Cadet Program, he was designated a [[United States Naval Aviator|Naval aviator]] and received his commission as a [[second lieutenant]] in the Marine Corps on March 1, 1943.<ref name=":1">{{cite web|url=http://www.veterantributes.org/TributeDetail.php?recordID=710|title=Robert Baird|work=Veteran Tributes}}</ref>
 
Baird was assigned to Marine Night Fighter Squadron 532 (VMF(N)-532) at [[Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point|Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, North Carolina]] in June 1943. He was with that squadron when it deployed to the [[Pacific War|Pacific Theater]] in February 1944. Baird returned to the United States that November.<ref name=":1" />
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From mid 1961 to mid 1965, Baird was assigned to [[Headquarters Marine Corps]] in [[the Pentagon]]. He then spent the next two years at [[Naval Air Station Alameda|Naval Air Station Alameda, California]]. In August 1967, he deployed to [[Vietnam]], where he served as the Chief of Staff for the [[1st Marine Aircraft Wing]] until September of the following year. He was awarded the [[Legion of Merit]] for his service in Vietnam.<ref name=":1" />
 
Baird retired from the Marine Corps with the rank of colonel on July 1, 1971. Robert Baird died on July 7, 1992, in [[Sonoma County, California]]. He was buried in [[Arlington National Cemetery]].<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" />
 
==Awards and Decorationsdecorations==
{| style="margin:1em auto; text-align:center;"
|-
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'''Citation:'''
 
<blockquote>For extraordinary heroism as Pilot of a Fighter Plane in Marine Night Fighting Squadron FIVE HUNDRED THIRTY-THREE in action against enemy Japanese forces in the vicinity of Okinawa Shima, Ryukyu Group, on the nights of 9 June, 16 June and 13 July 1945. Courageous and aggressive while engaged in combat air patrol, CaptainCaptainRobert Baird skillfully employed his radar to make contact with an enemy reconnaissance plane on 9 June and, striking quickly and furiously at low altitude, destroyed the hostile aircraft. Again, while on combat air patrol on the night of 16 June, he intercepted an enemy bomber and, pressing home a determined run, shot down the hostile plane. Later, the same night by making excellent use of his radar, he established contact with another Japanese aircraft and destroyed it. Captain Baird's fourth kill during this period occurred on the night of 13 July when, after establishing radar contact with an enemy bomber, he fearlessly closed in and, firing bursts from all six guns, shot down the hostile aircraft. His courage, daring airmanship and devotion to duty were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.<ref>[https://valor.militarytimes.com/hero/8000 Valor Awards for Robert Baird]</ref></blockquote>
 
== References ==
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[[Category:United States Marine Corps pilots of World War II]]
[[Category:United States Naval Aviators]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Air Medal]]
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