(Clifford Baldowski, the political cartoonist for the Atlanta Constitution known to many Georgians as "Baldy" passed away on September 27, 1999 in Atlanta. Beyond his 31-years of political satire, "Baldy" pursued a lifelong association with the military and in particular, the U.S. Air Force Reserves. His son, Lt Col Ken Baldowski, is the State Public Affairs Officer for the Georgia National Guard. In the following, Baldowski shares some memories relating to "Baldy's" military experience.)
I am honored to have the opportunity to write about Clifford H. "Baldy" Baldowski, known to many as "Baldy," the political cartoonist for the Atlanta Constitution for more than 30 years. While many Georgians recall the biting satire of "Baldy's" political cartoons, which often exposed the gaffs and the foibles of the famous and infamous few knew "Baldy's" second passion -- the military, and in particular, the Air Force.
When an aircrew of the 165th Airlift Group (now Wing) was killed in a crash in Alaska, Baldy drew this memorable cartoon.
"Baldy" retired from the Air Force Reserves as a Colonel after a career of more than 30 years. He last held the position of Commander, U.S. Air Force Reserves Public Affairs located at Air Force Reserve Headquarters at Robins AFB, Georgia. He was a valuable asset to the Air Force Reserve since he knew the media throughout the nation and was a member of this exclusive fraternity of editors and reporters. "Baldy's" value to the Air Force lay in his ability to take the issues of the Air Force and the military and to develop a contemporary message that struck a responsive cord with newspaper editors nationwide. In fact, for several years, "Baldy" was the ranking officer in the U.S. Air Force Reserves public affairs arena.
"Baldy’s" interest in the military started in high school in Augusta, Georgia where he attended Richmond Academy. During this time, he was a member of the Academy's ROTC detachment. Upon graduation, he applied and was accepted to The Citadel but his plans were interrupted by the nation's entry into World War II. Enlisting in the Army Air Corp, Baldowski started his military career in an administrative position at Moody Army Air Field, Valdosta, Georgia.
"Baldy's" passionate desire to become a military officer was first kindled when he befriended an Army Air Corps officer who flew into Moody. The officer, impressed by Baldowski’s military bearing and conscientious work, encouraged the young sergeant to apply to Officer Candidate School in the Army Air Corps. With this officer's recommendation and a recommendation solicited from Georgia senator Richard B. Russell, "Baldy" was ultimately selected to attend OCS and graduated as a Second Lieutenant in 1942. Later in life Baldowski admitted that graduation from OCS was the "most significant event in my life."
As an officer, Baldowski was sent to the Pacific where we was involved in the invasion 
of the Philippines, operations on Iwo Jima, Okinawa and others. A forward air control officer, Baldowski landed with Army and Marine infantry units throughout the Pacific area. As the division's principal liaison with the Army's air assets, he called in air strikes to clear enemy resistance.
One particular landing in the Philippines resulted in Baldowski being awarded the Bronze Star for heroism. Allied strike aircraft were called in to clear a stretch of beachhead on Okinawa. The aircraft began their strafing far behind the leading edge of the advancing soldiers placing hundreds of Marines in danger of friendly fire. "Baldy" grabbed the radio from the back of his NCO, and moving into the line of fire of the advancing fighters, called off what could have been a devastating mistake.
During the Okinawa campaign in the Pacific, Baldowski was asked to accompany the legendary World War II journalist Ernie Pyle on a visit to the jungles of Ie Shima, a journey that would be the last for the renowned journalist. A convoy of three vehicles traversed the myriad of trails across the jungle island. Rounding a curve in the trail, a Japanese machine gun rained fire down on the small convoy. The lead jeep and the jeep carrying Pyle were both hit by machine gun fire. Baldowski’s jeep which followed swerved off the side of the road and returned fire until the machine gun nest was located. Pyle died on April 18, 1945.
In the closing days of the War in the Pacific, Baldowski was aboard a troop ship when a Japanese Kamikaze aircraft hit the ship trapping him in an inside compartment. "Baldy" remained lodged in a 2 x 3-foot space for three days while rescue crews tore at crumpled metal to free him. Suffering injuries that earned him the Purple Heart, Baldowski subsequently shipped back to the states where he recovered for several months prior to the Japanese surrender.
Baldowski who adopted the name "Baldy" given him during the service, returned to his hometown of Augusta where he married and began his chosen career as a political cartoonist with the Augusta Chronicle newspaper. The
Baldy's Pen Struck at the cost of the B-1 during the development of the aircraft
Miami Herald newspaper subsequently hired him and he later came to Atlanta to become the political cartoonist for the Atlanta Constitution.
Soon after moving to Atlanta, "Baldy" renewed his association with the military and joined the U.S. Air Force Reserves. He was asked to organize the first Air Force Reserve public affairs office in Atlanta. Later he organized and was placed in command of the Eastern Air Force Reserve Region that included all Air Reserve public affairs units throughout the east coast from New York to Florida. Baldowski was the principal spokesperson for the Dobbins-based Air Reserve airlift units during the Cuban missile crisis and the Bay of Pigs invasion.
The period of the Vietnam War was especially challenging for "Baldy" as he wrestled with the mounting public opinion against the nation's conduct of the war and his own personal beliefs about the role of the military. Factored into his feeling was the fact that he had two sons both of draft age. "Baldy's" personal beliefs often conflicted with that of the editorial board of the Atlanta newspapers on issues regarding the Vietnam War and a review of his works show a paucity of cartoons about the conduct of the war.
"Baldy's" experience and knowledge of military affairs and his continued involvement in the Reserves were recognized in the 1960s by Georgia Governor Carl E. Sanders, a close friend from Augusta. Early in Sanders' term, the Governor asked "Baldy" to take the job of Assistant Adjutant General for Air in the Georgia National Guard. After much consideration, Baldowski declined the offer to remain with the Atlanta newspapers.
Baldowski was a graduate of the Air War College, and a distinguished graduate of the National Defense Industrial College.
A 1956 cover story in the newsmagazine TIME, "Baldy" was called "the South's Leading Appeal to Reason" for his stance on desegregation throughout Georgia and the South. He was also the recipient of a national Sigma Delta Chi Award for a cartoon on the desegregation of southern schools. On three occasions he was nominated for the Pulitzer Prize. He later was awarded the George Washington Freedom Foundation award for a series of anti-Communist cartoons. He was regularly syndicated in the United States and in foreign newspapers including Paris, Bonn and Bangkok.
"Baldy" retired in July of 1984 from the Atlanta Constitution. During the interim years, he produced several cartoon series for domestic and international syndication. Prior to his death, "Baldy" arranged to donate his collection of political cartoons numbering more than 15,000, and personal papers to the Richard B. Russell Library at the University of Georgia. Many of "Baldy's" cartoons are now being placed on the University of Georgia website for use by scholars and students.