TracesOfWar needs your help! Every euro, pound or dollar you contribute greatly supports the continuation of this website. Go to stiwot.nl and donate!

Hauge, Louis James, Jr.

Date of birth:
December 12th, 1924 (Ada/Minnesota, United States)
Date of death:
May 14th, 1945 (Okinawa Island, Ryukyu Islands, Japan)
Buried on:
National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific
Nationality:
American (1776 - present, Republic)

Biography

Louis Hauge was born December 21st, 1924 in Ada, Minnesota. He left highschool to start work in a conserves factory, rising to assistant foreman. Later on he went to work as a painter on a Tacoma shipyard.
April 23rd, 1943, he enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps and was trained at Camp Elliot in California. He was posted to the 1st Marine Dvision and saw action on New Caledonia, New Guinea and Peleliu. He rose to Corporal and was killed May 14th, 1945 on Okinawa, serving as leader of a machinegun squad.

Do you have more information about this person? Inform us!

Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
Corporal
Unit:
Company C, 2nd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division "The Old Breed", U.S. Marine Corps
Awarded on:
May 14th, 1945
Awarded for:
Operation Iceberg
"For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty as leader of a machinegun squad serving with Company C, 1st Battalion, 1st Marines, 1st Marine Division, in action against enemy Japanese forces on Okinawa Shima in the Ryukyu Chain on 14 May 1945. Alert and aggressive during a determined assault against a strongly fortified Japanese hill position, Cpl. Hauge boldly took the initiative when his company's left flank was pinned down under a heavy machinegun and mortar barrage with resultant severe casualties and, quickly locating the 2 machineguns which were delivering the uninterrupted stream of enfilade fire, ordered his squad to maintain a covering barrage as he rushed across an exposed area toward the furiously blazing enemy weapons. Although painfully wounded as he charged the first machinegun, he launched a vigorous single-handed grenade attack, destroyed the entire hostile gun position and moved relentlessly forward toward the other emplacement despite his wounds and the increasingly heavy Japanese fire. Undaunted by the savage opposition, he again hurled his deadly grenades with unerring aim and succeeded in demolishing the second enemy gun before he fell under the slashing fury of Japanese sniper fire. By his ready grasp of the critical situation and his heroic 1-man assault tactics, Cpl. Hauge had eliminated 2 strategically placed enemy weapons, thereby releasing the besieged troops from an overwhelming volume of hostile fire and enabling his company to advance. His indomitable fighting spirit and decisive valor in the face of almost certain death reflect the highest credit upon Cpl. Hauge and the U.S. Naval Service. He gallantly gave his life in the service of his country."

Awarded posthumously.
Medal of Honor - Navy/Marine Corps (MoH)

Sources

Photo