Paul W. Baade

Paul William Baade was born on April 16, 1889 in Fort Wayne, Indiana as a son of Fred C. Baade and his wife Anna Paul Baade. Following the high school, he received an appointment to the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York in June 1907 and earned nickname "Baby Paul" due to his clear blue eyes and velvet-like skin. During his time at the Academy, Baade reached the rank of cadet lieutenant, and was active on the baseball and hockey squads.[3][4][5][6]

He graduated on June 13, 1911, with a Bachelor of Science degree and was commissioned a second lieutenant in the Infantry on the same date. Many of his classmates, such as Charles P. Hall, William H. H. Morris Jr., Raymond A. Wheeler, John P. Lucas, Herbert Dargue, Ira T. Wyche, Frederick Gilbreath, Gustav H. Franke, Philip B. Fleming, Thompson Lawrence, Joseph C. Mehaffey, Harold F. Nichols and James R. Weaver, became general officers during World War II.[6]

Upon his commissioning, Baade was attached to the 11th Infantry Regiment at Fort D.A. Russell, Wyoming and remained there until February 1913. During his service at Fort D.A. Russell, he married his longtime sweetheart, Margaret Craig, in June, 1912.[3][4][1]

He subsequently served with the 11th Infantry on the Mexican border at Texas City, Texas until he embarked for the Philippines for service with 8th Infantry Regiment. While in the Philippines, he reached the rank of Captain and returned to the United States in mid-1916 for duty with 54th Infantry Regiment at Chickamaugua Park in Georgia.[3][4][7]

Major Baade (left) as Army Athletic Officer with President Calvin Coolidge (center) with the cup which he had donated to be contested for annually by the enlisted men of the 1924 Army and Navy in a football contest.

Following the United States' entry into World War I in April 1917, Baade was promoted to the temporary rank of Major and attended the Sixth Division’s Foreign Officers’ School. He then served at Camp Wadsworth, South Carolina until he embarked for France with the advance party of the 81st Infantry Division under Brigadier General Charles H. Barth in July 1918.[3][1]

Baade was promoted to the temporary rank of lieutenant colonel and attached to the 322nd Infantry Regiment. He commanded battalion during the occupancy of the Saint-Dié Sector and later took part in the bitter actions east of the Soin-Medieu Sector and in the Argonne Forest.[3][4]

Upon the Armistice was signed, he was stationed at Laignes until June 1919, when his regiment was ordered back to the United States and demobilized at Camp Lee, Virginia. Baade was reverted to his peacetime rank of Captain.[3][4][7]

Baade was then appointed Professor of Military Science & Tactics at Boston University and remained in this capacity until summer 1923, when he entered the course at Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. Following the graduation one year later, he served in the Office of the Chief of Infantry under Major General Charles S. Farnsworth until he was sent to the Junior course at the Army War College in Washington, D.C. in June 1928. During his service in Washington, Baade also served as Army Athletic Officer during the 1924 Army and Navy in a football contest.[3][5]

He was promoted to the permanent rank of Major in July 1927 shortly after his graduation from Army War College and assume duty with 29th Infantry Regiment at Fort Benning, Georgia. Baade served as regimental Plans & Training Officer until August 1935, when he was transferred to the staff of Sixth Corps Area as Assistant Chief of Staff for logistics under Major General Frank Ross McCoy. He was promoted to lieutenant colonel on August 1, 1935.[8][3]

Baade assumed duty as Acting Chief of Construction Division, War Department General Staff in September 1936 and served in this capacity, until he assumed duty as Chief of Construction Division in June 1938. He was transferred to Fort Jay, New York in August 1939 and served as Executive Officer, 16th Infantry Regiment until June 1940, when assumed command of the regiment. Baade was promoted to Colonel at the time.[8][3][4]

He served with the regiment during the Georgia and Louisiana maneuvers and following an appointment as Commanding officer, Baade led his unit during the maneuvers in northern New York. He was then stationed with the regiment at Fort Devens until he was promoted to the temporary rank of Brigadier general and appointed Commanding general, Puerto Rico General Department in July 1940. His headquarters was located at Fort Buchanan and he also commanded the General Depot, and the Mobile Force there.[8][3][4][5][1]

Baade subsequently commanded his division during the occupation of Hanover and Recklinghausen, and then governed the Coblenz area until late July 1945, when control was relinquished to the French Army. The 35th Infantry Division was subsequently ordered for England and then embarked for the United States, where it was inactivated at Camp Breckinridge, Kentucky on December 7, 1945.[3][4]

He was subsequently appointed Assistant Chief of Staff for Operations (G-3), Army Service Forces under General Brehon B. Somervell. Following the inactivation of Army Service Forces on June 11, 1946, Baade was ordered home, awaiting retirement. He retired from active duty on September 30, 1946 after 35 years of commissioned service.[8]

On December 7, 1946, Baade and his wife survived the Winecoff Hotel fire in Atlanta, Georgia by crawling across a plank to a neighboring building.[9]

Baade resided in Santa Barbara, California and served as vice president of the Botanic Gardens, and also on the boards of directors of the Channel City Club, the Valley Club of Montecito, and the Montecito Board. He was also active in the Episcopal Church.[3]

Major General Paul W. Baade died on October 9, 1959 in San Francisco, California and was buried with full military honors at Arlington National Cemetery.[7][1]

Here is Major general Baade´s ribbon bar:[2]

1st Row	Army Distinguished Service Medal								Silver Star with Oak Leaf Cluster
2nd Row	Legion of Merit				Bronze Star Medal with two Oak Leaf Clusters				Purple Heart				World War I Victory Medal with two Battle Clasps
3rd Row	American Defense Service Medal with Foreign Service Clasp				American Campaign Medal				European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with four 3/16 inch service stars				World War II Victory Medal
4th Row	Army of Occupation Medal				Officer of the Legion of Honor (France)				French Croix de guerre 1939-1945 with Palm				Grand Officer of the Dutch Order of Orange-Nassau

• 35th Infantry Division (United States)