WW2 US Navy Admiral’s winter uniform, peaked cap, attributed to Vice Admiral Wilder D. Baker who was a well known submarine commander and wartime commander of Task Force 94 during the first surface bombardment of the Japanese home islands. He later served as Commander Service Force, Atlantic Fleet and completed his career as Commandant, Eleventh Naval District with additional duty as Commander, Naval Base San Diego and Commander Southern California Sector, Western Sea Frontier. 

The cap features a navy blue, wool body, showing only minor service wear, with black woven centre band, with toned U.S.N. 2-piece metal eagle and crossed anchors, toned gold braid chinstrap and twin gilt buttons, with a double row of bullion oak leaves embroidered direct woven to the black felt top of the flat leather peak. The interior shows the maker details for Vanguard Caps of New York, with clear protective cover, with chocolate brown leather sweatband, gilt embossed named ADM. WILDER D. BAKER, along with the size tag 7. Very good condition. 

Vice Admiral Wilder DuPuy Baker was born on July 22, 1890, in Topeka, Kansas. In 1910 Baker received an appointment to the United States Naval Academy at Annapolis, Maryland. Among his classmates were 12 future admirals. Baker graduated with Bachelor of Science degree in 1914 and was commissioned Ensign. He then served aboard USS Florida, USS Jason and USS North Carolina and took part in the operations in the Syrian waters. In 1915 Baker entered the submarine service and completed instruction aboard USS Fulton and subsequently assumed duty in connection with fitting out of the submarine USS F-1. Baker was transferred to submarine USS L-11 in October 1917 and embarked for European waters two months later. Baker participated in the submarine patrols in Irish Waters and was promoted to Lieutenant during his World War I service. He returned to the United States in February 1919 and post war assumed command of a number of submarines, which he operated along the East Coast, performing experiments and developing submarine warfare tactics. Baker was detached from sea duty in May 1938 and appointed Professor of Naval Science and Tactics at Yale University. In 1940 he returned to sea as Commander, Destroyer Squadron 31, which participated in the escort convoy duties in the Atlantic Ocean. One of the ships under his command was destroyer USS Reuben James, which was the first U.S. Navy ship sunk by hostile action. Baker served briefly as the Anti-Submarine Warfare officer under the Commander-in-Chief, Atlantic Fleet Admiral Royal E. Ingersoll in March 1942. He also held additional duty as Commander of Fleet's Anti-Submarine Unit. Later serving in Washington, Baker became involved in the development of operational research. He cooperated with the Anti-Submarine Warfare Operations Group from the Columbia University and after persuading by future Nobel Prize laureate, William Shockley, who successfully persuaded Baker to arrange for them to go on patrols with the antisubmarine forces so they could see for themselves what was taking place. In December 1942, Baker was ordered to the South Pacific and assumed duty as Commanding Officer of the battleship, USS North Carolina. He led the ship during patrols near Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands and returned with ship to Hawaii in March 1943. While there, Baker was promoted to Rear Admiral on May 27, 1943. He was subsequently appointed Commander Cruiser Division ONE with additional duty as Commander, Task Force NINETY-FOUR (TF-94) and led his command during the Aleutian Islands campaign and later operated his forces under adverse weather conditions, conducting the first surface bombardment of the Japanese home islands and led the first offensive operations into the Sea of Okhotsk. For his service during those operations, Baker was decorated with the Navy Cross. Baker was appointed Commander, Cruiser Division 14 and remained in that capacity until July of that year, when he assumed duty as Chief of Staff and Aide to Commander, Second Fast Carrier Task Force, Pacific Fleet under Vice Admiral John "Slew" McCain. While in this command, he participated in the operations at Palau Islands, the Philippines, and Ryukyu Islands and together with Captain "Jimmy" Thach, McCain's operations officer, he devised tactics for using picket destroyers with combat air patrols to defend against kamikaze attacks. He was present aboard battleship USS Missouri during the Japanese Surrender Ceremony in Tokyo Bay on September 2, 1945. For his service under Admiral McCain, Baker was decorated with Silver Star, Legion of Merit with Combat "V" and Bronze Star Medal with Combat "V". Post war he assumed duty as Commander Service Force, Atlantic Fleet under Admiral William H. P. Blandy. He retired in August 1952 after 42 years of active duty and died on November 10, 1975, aged 85, in San Diego, California.

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