Medal of Honor: Louis James Hauge Jr. - Okinawa - May 14, 1945

Name: Louis James Hauge Jr.
Rank: Corporal
Branch: U.S. Marine Corps Reserve
War: World War II
Unit: Company C, 1st Battalion, 1st Marines, 1st Marine Division
Date of Action: May 14, 1945
Location: Okinawa Shima, Ryukyu Islands

Summary of Action

On 14 May 1945, during the brutal fighting on Okinawa, Corporal Louis James Hauge Jr. displayed extraordinary heroism while leading a machine-gun squad against heavily fortified Japanese positions.

As Marines assaulted a strongly defended hill, the company’s left flank suddenly came under devastating machine-gun and mortar fire.

The intense enfilade fire inflicted severe casualties and pinned the Marines in place.

Quickly recognizing the danger, Hauge located the two Japanese machine-gun positions responsible for trapping his company.

Ordering his squad to maintain covering fire, he immediately launched a lone assault across open ground swept by enemy bullets.

As he charged the first machine-gun emplacement, Hauge was painfully wounded.

Ignoring the injury, he pressed forward and attacked the position single-handedly with grenades, completely destroying the enemy gun crew.

Without pausing, he continued advancing toward the second machine-gun nest despite his wounds and the increasingly heavy Japanese fire concentrated against him.

Again attacking alone, Hauge hurled grenades with deadly accuracy and demolished the second enemy position.

Moments later, Japanese sniper fire struck him down.

By destroying both machine-gun emplacements through his fearless one-man assault, Hauge freed the pinned Marines from devastating fire and allowed the company to continue its advance.

His courage, determination, and sacrifice reflected the highest traditions of the United States Marine Corps and Naval Service.

Medal of Honor Citation

HAUGE, LOUIS JAMES, JR.

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.