Serving as a soldier in the U.S. Army, Private First Class Lloyd C. Hawks received the Medal of Honor for his actions on January 30, 1944 near Carano, Italy during World War II. At the time he was serving with Medical Detachment, Company G, 30th Infantry, 3d Infantry Division. Hawks was 33 years old.
2 other service members also received the Medal of Honor for actions on the same day.
Hawks was born on January 13, 1911 in Becker, Sherburne County, Minnesota. His Medal of Honor is credited to Park Rapids, Hubbard County, Minnesota. Hawks died on October 26, 1953, at the age of 42. He is buried at Greenwood Cemetery in Park Rapids, Minnesota.
Hawks is one of 474 Medal of Honor recipients from World War II and one of 45 credited to Minnesota.
Official Medal of Honor citation
For conspicuous 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 two wounded men who, unable to move, were lying 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 machine-gun fire, after crawling only 10 yards toward the casualties. An aidman, 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 machine-gun bullets and flying mortar fragments to a small ditch, administered first aid to his fellow aidman who had sought cover therein, and continued toward the two wounded men 50 yards distant. An enemy machine-gun 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 six 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 machine-gun 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 three men at this point, Pfc. Hawks crawled 75 yards in an effort to regain his company, reaching the ditch in which his fellow aidman was lying.
Citation text: U.S. Government, public domain.
Other decorations and honors
Besides the Medal of Honor, Lloyd C. Hawks received:
Source: Wikidata. Gold chips link to our guide to that decoration.
Battles and campaigns
Also served in: World War II.
Life beyond the battlefield
- Occupations: combat medic
Source: Wikidata.
Places
Veteran resources, cemeteries and meeting places in Minnesota →
Timeline
- January 13, 1911Born in Becker, Sherburne County, Minnesota
- January 30, 1944Act of valor — near Carano, ItalyAge 33. Medical Detachment, Company G, 30th Infantry, 3d Infantry Division
- October 26, 1953DiedAge 42.
- Resting placeGreenwood CemeteryPark Rapids, Minnesota
Biography
Lloyd Cortez Hawks (January 13, 1911 – October 26, 1953) was a United States Army soldier and a recipient of the United States military's highest decoration—the Medal of Honor—for his actions in World War II.
From the Wikipedia article “Lloyd C. Hawks”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Read the full article →
