Death date: Jul 26, 2011
Major General James B. Baylor, known to his friends and family as Jim, was born April 14, 1933 in Hinton, West Virginia and died on July 26, 2011 at the age of 78 after a courageous fight against brain cancer. Jim was raised by hi Read Obituary
Jim and I were grade school friends straight
thru high school.
He always has been a gentleman and talked highly of his Becky and children. I know each of you will miss him greatly. My prayers and thoughts are with each one of you during this time in your life. God Bless.##imported-begin##Nancy Pollard Diehl##imported-end##
From the moment I met (then) Colonel (P) James Baylor, I sensed I was in the presence of a great man, and that I'd be working for an equally as great military commander. I was correct. He had an element of command leadership that was somewhat unique at the time -- he afforded every soldier his undivided, sincere and dedicated respect, from top to bottom. As the new 99th ARCOM Commander, he soon found himself in the position of mobilizing and deploying 99th troops and units to Saudi Arabia in order to oust Saddam Hussein's Republican Guard and Army from Kuwait under the direction of President George H.W. Bush. MG Baylor visited each and every unit and talked briefly to every soldier as our units left home stations to their designated mobilization sites. As the shooting war began, the 99th suffered a devastating SCUD missile attack in a facility where one of our units was being housed -- the 14th Quartermaster Detachment, in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia. The unit suffered the highest collective casualty rate during the war. As news broke back to the command, MG Baylor addressed media from around the world to provide as much information as was possible to acquire and accurately release at that time. He spent time with the KIA and WIA family members, and was a tower of strength in consoling every soldier and family member or friend who shared in such loss. One year later, he spoke eloquently as the 99th dedicated a monument to the fallen soldiers located at the 14th's Army Reserve Center in Greensburg, Pa. He embodied and personified a military leader who bore the weight of war's worst result -- the loss of soldiers under his command. He shouldered that burden with the grace, dignity and honor he extended to those lost, and as our units returned home and adjusted back to the always ongoing training of the Army Reserve soldier, he focused on the future having learned the most difficult of lessons from the past. He was a man of great stature, not only in height ... but more importantly ... in heart. I respected him tremendously, as did anyone who had the pleasure and honor to serve with or under him. He will always remain in my memories as Major General James Baylor -- the gentleman general. RIP Sir.
MSG (RET/Disabled-SC) Jack Gordon, US Army/Army Reserve, 1984-2009. Iraq Veteran, 2004##imported-begin##Jack Gordon##imported-end##
I can not find the words to describe my good fortune to have had Jim in my life. I will miss him terribly. my thoughts and prayers are with his family. mel##imported-begin##carmelo "Mel" Cottone##imported-end##
MG Baylor gave me many opportunities to "Be all I could Be" in the USAR. I always admired him. My sympathies to his family.##imported-begin##William D. Riffle CW4(R)##imported-end##
