Born: June 16, 1925
Died: January 21, 1993
Campaigns Served: Namur, Saipan (wounded)
Highest Rank Attained: Private
Decorations: Purple Heart
Robert Baatz was born in Empire, Michigan, in 1923. He enlisted in the Marine Corps at the age of 17, and beacme an original member of Baker Company. He served as a gunner in the company machine gun platoon on Namur, and kept his assignment after the reorganization of the company.
Baatz was listed as Missing In Action from June 15 to June 30, 1944. He was subsequently located in a Navy hospital, and his status was changed to "wounded and evacuated" as of June 15. Private Baatz was transferred to the hospital in July, 1944, and did not return to combat. His further service is unknown.
After the war, Robert Baatz married and raised a family. He died in Traverse City, Michigan, in 1993, and is buried in Rosehill Cemetery.