Nationality:

American

Elbert Hager of Branchland, West Virginia, entered the US Army in September 1942. He served in Attu, one of the Aleutian Islands and attended in the first amphibious operation of WWII and one of the deadliest the 7th Infantry Division had. He was wounded on Attu. He then went to Kwajalein in the Marshall Islands. It took 3 days to take those islands, along with tank support. Hager was again wounded by sniper fire. Hager's next stop Leyte Gulf in the Philippines. Then on to Okinawa, hitting the Beach on Easter morning. Hager was wounded again on the mountaintop. The shot came through his chest and went out his ribs, puncturing his lungs. Hager was the last man left from his original outfit where he was platoon squad leader. Later, Hager and his 12-man patrol returned to the Philippines. They were crossing a field and 2 of their scouts were killed. Their sergeant lost his cool and froze to the ground. The Japanese pinned them down and they were being shelled by their own artillery. From the position Hager held he could fire on the Japanese Machinegun nest. Hager silenced the Japanese position and saved the lives of the 10 remaining men. He held his position while the rest retreated to safer ground and later moved to another position after silencing the Japanese gun emplacement.

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