Baker and the Dawn of Aviation

The article rightly concedes that there is no objective evidence of an actual diagnosis of CTE.

According to the Mayo Clinic, “CTE symptoms don't develop right after a head injury. Experts believe that they develop over years or decades after repeated head trauma. Experts also believe that CTE symptoms appear in two forms. In early life between the late 20s and early 30s, the first form of CTE may cause mental health and behavioral issues. Symptoms of this form include depression, anxiety, impulsive behavior, and aggression”. At 26 years of age, Baker would have been on the young side for any symptoms to manifest. Still, CTE is also impossible to rule out.

The evidence upon which the new study is based is supported by what has developed over time to be included in the Hobey Baker legend. And legend is, by definition, a combination of fact and fiction.

PAW also has a long history of articles regarding Baker’s death. Major Charles Biddle 1911 often wrote to the editor to share what he knew or to set the record straight. Biddle was a lawyer by profession and was the consummate strategist in the air in World War I. He wrote a paper with a French commander that became the Air Service's guide to tactics. Few could rival Biddle’s understanding of the importance and requirements of leadership. When Baker first went to the Western Front, Biddle mentored him, then became his flying companion. No one in the Air Service knew Baker better than Biddle.

After Biddle was promoted to a squadron commander, he personally selected Baker as a flight commander. Later, Biddle recommended Baker for a squadron command, and Baker then served directly under Biddle, who became a group commander. Biddle’s decisions and recommendations were largely based on Baker’s temperament and judgment. Those attributes were tested almost daily, as during the waning days of the war, Baker was entrusted with a squadron of rookie pilots that was the only active pursuit (fighter) squadron in the Toul sector.

Much has been missed in Baker’s life, and there is now documented evidence that virtually every presupposition about Baker’s last days, flight, and his death as told in the legend is deeply flawed, incomplete, or misunderstood. In more than one instance where alternative theories or explanations exist, both were wrong. Moreover, all of the questions surrounding Hobby Baker’s death are now answered. These are bold statements and perhaps shocking to some. As the author of "Those Who Know The Sky: Hobey Baker, the Dawn of Aviation and the War to End All Wars", it is all supported in with 1,700 citations, 500 resources, and a full forensic investigation.

I do not strive to be Baker’s defender now that Biddle is gone, and I do not take lightly weighing in on Baker's legacy. It is time to bring the full truth about Baker’s life and death into the light.