John Philip Baca (born January 10, 1949) is a former United States Army soldier and a Vietnam War veteran.

He was awarded the Medal of Honor, the highest decoration of the United States Armed Forces, for his actions in Vietnam.

On that day, in Phước Long Province during Operation Toan Thang IV, he was serving on a recoilless rifle team when the lead platoon of his company was ambushed.

[1] Baca survived his wounds and was formally awarded the Medal of Honor by President Richard M. Nixon on March 2, 1971.

However, he prefers to recall an event that occurred on Christmas Day, 1969, when he was walking ahead of his unit, acting as "point," and surprised a young North Vietnamese soldier sitting alone on top of an enemy bunker in the jungle.

Not only was he able to take his "Christmas gift" alive and unharmed, the young man, twenty years later, was among the Vietnamese that Baca worked with building the clinic in 1990.

[3] At the park's dedication on April 27, he read the following poem he penned for the occasion: It's a playground for the young, a walk for the dog, These grounds will be blessed by the rain and the sun, free from the smog.

[5] Medal of Honor citation reads: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty.

Hearing the heavy firing from the platoon position and realizing that his recoilless rifle team could assist the members of the besieged patrol, Sp4c.