Lloyd C. Hawks-Park Rapids, MN
Posted by: Groundspeak Regular Member Don.Morfe
N 46° 55.170 W 095° 01.734
15T E 345522 N 5198216
World War II Medal of Honor Recipient for action near Carano, Italy on January 30, 1944. He is buried in Greenwood Cemetery, Park Rapids, MN in Lot 222.
Waymark Code: WMX0HY
Location: Minnesota, United States
Date Posted: 11/08/2017
Published By:Groundspeak Premium Member wayfrog
Views: 4

He was born on January 13, 1911 in Becker, MN and died on October 26, 1953 in Park Rapids, MN. He attained the rank of Sergeant First Class. His Medal of Honor information and citation is: HAWKS, LLOYD C.
• Rank and organization: Private First Class, U.S. Army, Medical Detachment, 30th Infantry, 3d Infantry Division
• Place and date: Near Carano, Italy, 30 January 1944
• Entered service at: Park Rapids, Minn.
• G.O. No.: 5, 15 January 1945
Citation: For gallantry and intrepidity at risk of life above and beyond the call of duty. On 30 January 1944, at 3 p.m., near Carano, Italy, Pfc. Hawks braved an enemy counterattack in order to rescue 2 wounded men who, unable to move, were Iying in an exposed position within 30 yards of the enemy. Two riflemen, attempting the rescue, had been forced to return to their fighting holes by extremely severe enemy machinegun fire, after crawling only 10 yards toward the casualties. An aid man, whom the enemy could plainly identify as such, had been critically wounded in a similar attempt. Pfc. Hawks, nevertheless, crawled 50 yards through a veritable hail of machinegun bullets and flying mortar fragments to a small ditch, administered first aid to his fellow aid man who had sought cover therein, and continued toward the 2 wounded men 50 yards distant. An enemy machinegun bullet penetrated his helmet, knocking it from his head, momentarily stunning him. Thirteen bullets passed through his helmet as it lay on the ground within 6 inches of his body. Pfc. Hawks, crawled to the casualties, administered first aid to the more seriously wounded man and dragged him to a covered position 25 yards distant. Despite continuous automatic fire from positions only 30 yards away and shells which exploded within 25 yards, Pfc. Hawks returned to the second man and administered first aid to him. As he raised himself to obtain bandages from his medical kit his right hip was shattered by a burst of machinegun fire and a second burst splintered his left forearm. Displaying dogged determination and extreme self-control, Pfc. Hawks, despite severe pain and his dangling left arm, completed the task of bandaging the remaining casualty and with superhuman effort dragged him to the same depression to which he had brought the first man. Finding insufficient cover for 3 men at this point, Pfc. Hawks crawled 75 yards in an effort to regain his company, reaching the ditch in which his fellow aid man was lying.
Armed Service: Army

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