Roll of Honor
Incident
Petty Officer Matthew Baker, Lieutenant Duane Stenbak, Lieutenant Craig Lerner, and Lieutenant Paul Perlt were killed in an airplane accident while conducting a drug surveillance operation in the Caribbean.
The Grumman E2C Hawkeye experienced a wing fire and crashed as the pilot attempted to land at U.S. Naval Air Station, Roosevelt Roads, Puerto Rico.
Petty Officer Baker had served with the United States Coast Guard for seven years.
Survivors
He was survived by his wife.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-FED-9377E1C9- Stewardship
- Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
- Added to badge.nw
- August 2, 2026
- Last updated
- August 2, 2026
Honored here by 1 tribute.
Are you family? This record can be claimed and maintained by those who knew Matthew. Claim this record.
Also honored at salute.nw. One record, 2 gates. Matthew is one person.
This page is permanent and free. No fee to view it, no advertising, no tracking, and no account required. It will not be taken down.
Tributes
I served 1985 to 1993. You served too, before the badge - different uniform, same idea. You go where you are sent and you do not get to pick the call.
Petty Officer Baker gave the United States Coast Guard 7 years.
Thank you for your service. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, brother.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Military Service
Matthew Harold Baker served in the the United States military before joining law enforcement.
Petty Officer Matthew Harold Baker is one of 1 officers lost to accidents in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 0% of all 97,759 officers honored here.
In DC, 454 of 1,419 officers were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 32% of this state's fallen. That is 32 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.
At United States Coast Guard, 20 of 24 officers on record were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 83.3% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Accident compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Matthew Harold Baker's cause is highlighted.
How Matthew Harold Baker Compares
When Accident Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Accident deaths across the full memorial record. Matthew Harold Baker is highlighted in Aug.
Incident Location
Military Service
Matthew Harold Baker served in the United States military before joining law enforcement.
Visit Matthew Harold Baker’s page on salute.nw →
His full service record — units, decorations, where he served — is kept on salute.nw.
Others Who Wore This Badge
23 officers from United States Coast Guard are honored on badge.nw. Showing the 16 most recent.
