CORPORAL
LOUIS JAMES HAUGE, JR., USMCR (DECEASED)
 

Medal of Honor Citation

Louis James Hauge, Jr. was born 12 December 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. He later was employed by a ship yard in Tacoma, Washington, as a painter.

He was inducted into the Marine Corps Reserve on 23 April 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, he distinguished himself for his bravery under fire and was given a meritorious promotion to corporal.

Corporal Hauge, who was posthumously awarded the Nation's highest military award, the Medal of Honor, was killed in action on 14 May 1945, while serving on Okinawa as a member of the 1st Marine Division.

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 14 June 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. 

World War II 1941-1945 Medal of Honor