b. 12/12/1924 Ada, Minnesota. d. 24/05/1945 Shuri, Okinawa, Japan.
DATE OF MOH ACTION: 24/05/1945 Shuri, Okinawa, Japan.
Louis J Hauge MOH
Louis Hauge Jr. was born on December 12, 1924, in Ada, Minnesota. He was active in all athletics but left high school after his first year and worked in a canning factory in Ada, where he became assistant foreman. Hauge was later employed at a shipyard in Tacoma, Washington as a painter.
Hauge was inducted into the Marine Corps Reserve on April 23, 1943, and completed light machine gun school at Camp Elliott, California before serving with the 1st Marine Division at New Caledonia and New Guinea. Later, he saw combat action on Peleliu as a message runner with Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 1st Marines. In this capacity, Hauge distinguished himself for his bravery under fire and was given a meritorious promotion to corporal.
Corporal Hauge was killed in action on May 14, 1945, while serving on Okinawa as a member of the 1st Marine Division. For his heroic actions on that day, Hauge was awarded the Medal of Honor. At the time of his death, Cpl Hauge was squad leader of a machine gun squad in Southern Okinawa engaged in an assault against a heavily fortified Japanese hill. It was during the evening that the left flank of Company C, 1st Battalion, 1st Marines, was pinned down by a barrage of mortar and machine gun fire. The enemy was pouring enfilade fire into the ranks of the Marines. Quickly spotting the two guns responsible for the damage, Cpl Hauge boldly rushed across an open area, heaving hand grenades as he ran. Wounded before he reached the first gun, he nevertheless continued his one-man assault and completely destroyed the position. Without stopping, he pushed forward and attacked the second gun with grenades and demolished it before falling from the deadly fire of the Japanese snipers. Inspired by his actions, his company rose from their besieged position and pressed home the attack.
The award was presented to his father on June 14, 1946, by Col Norman E. True, USMC, who represented the Commandant of the Marine Corps.
Corporal Hauge’s remains were eventually returned to the United States and interred in the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Honolulu, Hawaii.
MOH CITATION:
For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty as leader of a machine-gun 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 machine-gun and mortar barrage with resultant severe casualties and, quickly locating the two machine guns 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 machine gun, he launched a vigorous singlehanded 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 one-man assault tactics, Cpl. Hauge had eliminated two 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.
BURIAL LOCATION: NATIONAL MEMORIAL CEMETERY OF THE PACIFIC, HONOLULU, HAWAII. (WALL OF MISSING).
MARKER AT ADA CEMETERY, ADA, MINNESOTA. BLOCK 4, ROW 1 (IN FENCED AREA).
LOCATION OF MEDAL: FAMILY.
