Veterans Among Us: Sandie Baker

In the 1960s, women in military service were a small minority. At that time, there were around only 6,000 women in all the major services out of a total of over 600,000 Service personnel. At that time, a mandatory 2% cap on the number of women who could serve in all military branches was in place. The signing of Public Law 90-130 by President Lyndon Johnson in 1967 lifted this restriction.

Before 1967, these restrictions were not a factor with Sandie Baker. Her father was drafted in World War II when her mother was pregnant with her. Sandie’s family of six siblings moved from South Dakota to Milwaukee, Wisconsin where all of her brothers and sisters grew up.

“I grew up with a tradition of service,” Sandie said. “My father’s family has a military lineage that stretches back to the Civil War. It was a natural thing for me and my brothers to serve.”

One of her brothers went into the Navy two years after she did. Soon, another brother of hers followed and served in the Army in Vietnam. 

“I signed an intent to join the Navy when I was sixteen,” she said.  “I was off to Bainbridge, Maryland for Basic Training. Initially, I was in the Hospital Corp school…then, (I) transferred to sShip sStores and became an E-3 seaman store keeper at the Great Lakes Naval Training facility in greater Chicago.”

Great Lakes was to play a significant chapter in Sandie’s life.

“I met my late husband at Great Lakes,” Sandy said. “I had to take leave so that we could get married.”

The two were married for 54 years. 

At the Great Lakes Naval Training facility, Sandie was introduced to the Great Lakes Drill Team, where she soon became a member of the color guard.

“I loved the marching unit,” she said. “It was quite an honor when I was selected to be the guidon bearer for the color guard. We represented the base in almost every parade in downtown Chicago during my time at (the) Great Lakes.”

After Sandie was discharged from the Navy, she relocated to Brookville, Indiana – not far from Oxford. Her childhood love of skating resurfaced and she became a regular skater at the old Goggin Ice Center in adult classes. She went on to represent the Goggin group in competitions all over the United States. 

“You name the city, and I probably skated there,” she said. 

She never lost her competitive edge and played competitive soft ball into her mid 50s. She hung up her skates at the age of 78.

“My naval service gave me a few things,” she said. “It taught me the value of common sense. I would not have met my late husband if not for the Navy. At the same time, I liked men in uniform and the good-looking sailors.”

Sandie, regularly, shares some of her stories and many others at the Oxford Senior Center. 

She said of the center, “If want to go to a happy place where you can be enlightened, come to the (Oxford) Senior Center. I met an ex-Marine there who continues to be a part of my life.”

Noted author Mark Twain is quoted as saying, “Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream.”

Twain, I think, was talking about Sandie Baker and the thousands of other women who stepped forward to serve in all military branches at a time when they were not all welcomed. These women set the standard for generations of women who followed them.

Lee Fisher is a Miami graduate, resident of Oxford, Ohio and a Vietnam War veteran.