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Jedh Colby Barker |
Exceptional
Valor
Jedh Colby
Barker holds a
distinguished
place in
American
history. At the
age of 22, he
gave his last
full measure of
devotion as a
Marine when he
sacrificed his
own life to save
his fellow
Marines during
the Vietnam War.
In 1969, two
years after his
death, Jedh was
recognized as a
true American
hero when he was
named as a
recipient of the
Medal of Honor.
Introduced
during the Civil
War, the Medal
of
Honor represents
the highest
military
decoration
presented by the
U.S. Government
to a member of
its armed
forces. The
recipients must
have
distinguished
themselves at
the risk
of their own
life above and
beyond the call
of
duty in action
against an enemy
of the United
States.
Jedh, who
attended Truman
State University
when the
school was known
as Northeast
Missouri State
Teachers
College, is the
only known
former Truman
student
named among the
venerable list
of recipients.
Born in
Franklin, N.H.,
in 1945, Jedh
attended high
school in Park
Ridge, N.J.,
where he
excelled in
sports and
served as
captain of the
football and
baseball teams.
Back in those
days, Truman had
a pipeline to
New Jersey by
way of Maurice
“Red” Wade,
coach of the
football team,
and Ken Gardner,
the track coach,
that resulted in
an influx of
Jersey students.
In the fall of
1965, these
connections
brought Jedh to
Kirksville to
attend the
college where he
joined the
Bulldog football
team. The team
photo in the
1966
Echo
yearbook shows
Jedh as a
determined-looking
young man in
jersey number
nine who looks
like he’s ready
to take on the
world.
By May of 1966
when Jedh left
college to
enlist in the
U.S. Marine
Corps Reserve,
the spirit of
Semper Fi was
firmly embedded
in the Barker
family. Both
Jedh’s father,
George C.
Barker, and
Jedh’s brother
Warren were
proud to wear
the Marine
uniform, and
each had made
the Marines a
career. Even the
unique spelling
of Jedh’s name
symbolizes the
Marines as each
letter
represents the
first name of
four fellow
Marines that his
father had
served with in
World War II —
John, Ezekial,
Donald and
Herbert.
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In 1969, Vice President Spiro T. Agnew presented the Medal of Honor to the family of Jedh Barker. |
Jedh became a
member of the
Special
Volunteer
Reserve, 1st
Marine Corps
District, New
York, New York,
until discharged
to enlist in the
regular Marine
Corps. He
arrived in South
Vietnam in March
of 1967, and
having been
promoted to the
rank of Lance
Corporal, was
serving as a
machine gunner
with Company F,
2nd Battalion,
4th Marines, 3rd
Marine Division.
It was during a
reconnaissance
operation in
September 1967
near Con Thien
that Jedh
demonstrated
exceptional
valor when his
squad came under
attack. His
immense courage
and sacrifice
are described in
this excerpt
from the
citation for his
Medal of Honor:
“Although
wounded by the
initial burst of
fire, Corporal
Barker boldly
remained in the
open, delivering
a devastating
volume of
accurate fire on
the numerically
superior force.
The enemy was
intent upon
annihilating the
small Marine
force and,
realizing that
Corporal Barker
was a threat to
their position,
directed the
preponderance of
their fire on
his position. He
was again
wounded, this
time in the
right hand,
which prevented
him from
operating his
vitally needed
machine gun.
Suddenly, and
without warning,
an enemy grenade
landed in the
midst of the few
surviving
Marines.
Unhesitatingly
and with
complete
disregard for
his own personal
safety, Corporal
Barker threw
himself upon the
deadly grenade,
absorbing with
his own body the
full and
tremendous force
of the
explosion. In a
final act of
bravery, he
crawled to the
side of a
wounded comrade
and administered
first aid before
succumbing to
his grievous
wounds.”
In 1969, the
Barker family
was invited to
the White House
to accept Jedh’s
Medal of Honor,
which was
presented by
Vice President
Spiro T. Agnew.
In addition to
this
distinguished
decoration, a
number of
memorials serve
as a tribute to
Jedh’s courage
and patriotism.
After his death,
the then-Pascack
Valley American
Legion Post 153
in Park Ridge
renamed the post
to the Cpl. Jedh
C. Barker
Memorial
American Legion
Post 153, and a
street in Park
Ridge was also
named after Jedh.
In addition,
Jedh’s name is
found among
those engraved
on the Vietnam
War Memorial in
Washington,
D.C., and on the
New Jersey
Vietnam Veterans
Memorial in
Holmdel. The
Marine Corps
named a building
located at
Marine Corps
Base Quantico
(Va.) in Jedh’s
honor, and
today, Barker
Hall stands as
yet another
noble reminder
of the
courageous
Marine who gave
his life for his
country. Jedh’s
name also
appears on a
bronze plaque on
the Truman
campus that
lists former
students who
gave their lives
in the Vietnam
War.
More recently,
Jedh was honored
at the Veterans
Day Ceremony on
the Truman
campus on Nov.
11, 2011. Jedh’s
brother, John
Barker, of
Lakewood, N.J.,
and one of his
three sisters,
Susan Rilliet,
of Landing,
N.J., attended
the ceremony.
Presenting
remarks on
behalf of the
family, John
told how his
older brother
Jedh had been
his mentor.
“There’s nine
years between us
so it was a
generation
there, but he
took me
everywhere with
him . . . he was
training me,”
said John, who
noted that
Jedh’s bravery
and valor on
that fateful day
more than four
decades ago came
as no surprise
to the Barker
family. “Jedh
defined living
in the moment,
his zest for
life was
contagious . . .
he gave his life
so that his
comrades might
live, he gave
his life so that
others may live
more freely.”
University
Unveils Bronze
Sculpture
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Bronze sculpture by Brandon Crandall |
Mark
Gambaiana, vice
president for
University
Advancement,
remembers
walking around
campus
with Brandon
Crandall, a
local artist, to
view existing
pieces of
artwork on the
grounds of
Truman
State
University. The
University had
received a
generous
contribution to
the Truman State
University
Foundation for
the purpose of
enhancing
artwork on
campus, and they
were considering
some of
the options and
opportunities.
During their
tour, they
stopped by an
outside wall
displaying a
series
of memorial
plaques that
made a strong
impression on
the artist.
Located outside
the entrance to
the Ruth W.
Towne Museum and
Visitors Center,
the plaques list
the names of
former Truman
students and
alumni who gave
their lives in
service of their
country during
major foreign
wars. “Brandon
had the
inspiration that
these plaques
needed something
to compliment
them,” said
Gambaiana. The
idea evolved,
and on Nov. 11,
2011, a new
bronze
sculpture,
titled the
“Purple Heart,”
was unveiled
during a
Veterans Day
Ceremony held on
the Truman
campus.
Designed and
created by
Crandall, the
life-size
sculpture
depicts a father
reverently
holding his
son’s Purple
Heart, a
military medal
awarded in honor
of those who
have been
wounded or
killed in
action. Serving
as one of the
guest speakers
at the Veterans
Day Ceremony,
Crandall shared
the inspiration
behind his work.
“Mark and I
began talking in
2009 coming up
with some ideas,
and as we spoke,
the word
‘sacrifice’ came
up often,” said
Crandall. “I
began asking
myself about the
awards and
medals that are
given to
soldiers, and I
thought
immediately of
the Purple Heart
. . . in some
cases it goes to
the family of
the fallen
soldier, and
this was my
answer.” To show
the concept of
sacrifice,
Crandall decided
to show the pain
of a father who
has lost his son
because he felt
that brought the
message close to
home for so many
families.
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Crandall
describes the
father portrayed
in his sculpture
as a working man
who did what he
could for his
family and never
asked for
anything from
anyone. “The
father misses
his son but is
proud and
reverent,” said
Crandall.
“You’ll notice
that his left
breast pocket is
unbuttoned and
open — this is
where he keeps
the medal, close
to his heart."
The sculpture
has been placed
outside the
entrance of the
Ruth W. Towne
Museum and
Visitors Center
facing the wall
of plaques that
served as
Crandall’s
inspiration.
“I’m hoping this
statue will stir
emotions inside
you,” said
Crandall, in his
remarks at the
Veterans Day
Ceremony.
“That’s why I
did it, because
if it can do
that, then I
have done my
job.”
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