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• Thursday, March 26, 2015

  Legion Honors News Anchor for ‘Final Salute’ Story

  ALBANY – The American Legion honored WTEN News Anchor Mark Baker with a special Recognition Award for his story, “The Final Salute.”

   The award ceremony took place at North Albany American Legion Post 1610 on March 21 during a meeting of The American Legion’s 3rd District.

  Greene County Commander and 3rd District Public Relations Officer Tim Burch called Baker’s story “exemplary,” noting that “the American Legion thanks Mark for his reverence and support of our veterans.”

  

  Jay Belfield
  Photo/Baptist Health Nursing and Rehabilitation Center

  Burch explained that Baker stopped by the Baptist Health Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Scotia on Veteran’s Day last November to thank veterans for their service after staff there alerted him to a photo they had taken of 98-year-old World War II army veteran Justus “Jay” Belfield, dressed in uniform saluting. Belfield, Burch said, died just hours after the photo was taken.

  “Mark posted the story and photo on social media that went viral with millions of views all over the world,” Burch said. He thanked Baker not only for the story, but for his “continued support for the Belfield Family.”

  

  News Anchor Mark Baker receives the American Legion Special Recognition Award from Greene County Commander Tim Burch, left; 3rd District Commander Bob Vogt, 2nd from right; and Department of New York Vice Commander Gary Schacher, right.