Loren D. Hagen
Loren D. Hagen | |
|---|---|
MACV-SOG | |
| Battles/wars | Vietnam War † |
| Awards | Medal of Honor Purple Heart |
Loren Douglas Hagen (February 25, 1946 – August 7, 1971) was a
Studies and Observations Group in the Vietnam War. Hagen was the last member of the U.S. Army to earn a Medal of Honor in the Vietnam War.[1]
Biography
Hagen was born February 25, 1946, in
Eagle Scout and was credited with saving the life of a swimmer at the Moorhead swimming pool in 1968.[2]
He had two brothers: Michael and Jeffrey.
His father was transferred to
Green Berets
.
Career and command
Hagen joined the Army from his birth city of
MACV-SOG
(name changed in March 1971 to "TAG" Training Advisory Group, U.S. Army).
Facing massed NVA forces
Hagan's
North Vietnamese Army (NVA) 304th Division was already massing there, plus a regiment of the 308th Division, in preparation for the 1972 Easter Offensive
.
Enemy attack
During an enemy attack on August 7, in an assembly area of the North Vietnamese Army in the
Killed in Action
, Body Not Recovered (KIA/BNR).
Other members of Recon Team Kansas were: USASF SSG Oran Bingham, USASF SGT William R. "Bill" Queen (
Degar (Montagnard) Commandos
(no names available).
Hagen, aged 25 at his death, was buried in Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington County, Virginia.[4]
Medal of Honor citation
First Lieutenant Hagen's official Medal of Honor citation reads:
1st Lt. Hagen distinguished himself in action while serving as the team leader of a small
hand grenadefire in a valorous attempt to repel the advancing enemy force. The courageous actions and expert leadership abilities of 1st Lt. Hagen were a great source of inspiration and instilled confidence in the team members. After observing an enemy rocket make a direct hit on and destroy 1 of the team's bunkers, 1st Lt. Hagen moved toward the wrecked bunker in search for team members despite the fact that the enemy force now controlled the bunker area. With total disregard for his own personal safety, he crawled through the enemy fire while returning small-arms fire upon the enemy force. Undaunted by the enemy rockets and grenades impacting all around him, 1st Lt. Hagen desperately advanced upon the destroyed bunker until he was fatally wounded by enemy small arms and automatic weapons fire. With complete disregard for his personal safety, 1st Lt. Hagen's courageous gallantry, extraordinary heroism, and intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty, at the cost of his own life, were in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon him and the U.S. Army.
Awards and decorations
1LT Hagen was awarded the following throughout his military career:[5]
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| Badge | Combat Infantryman Badge | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st row | Medal of Honor | Purple Heart | ||||||||||
| 2nd row | National Defense Service Medal | Campaign stars
|
Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal with "60-" device | |||||||||
| Badges | Special Forces Tab | Master Parachutist Badge | ||||||||||
See also
- A Shau Valley
- List of Medal of Honor recipients for the Vietnam War
References
- ^ Eriksmoen, Curt (November 5, 2016). "Last Army soldier to win Medal of Honor in Vietnam War was from Moorehead". The Forum of Fargo-Moorhead. Retrieved February 11, 2017.
- ^ McEwen, Craig (April 22, 2015). "West Fargo Legion Post named Loren "Doug" Hagen Post 308". West Fargo Pioneer. Retrieved May 29, 2016.
- ^ Service Profile
- ^ "Burial detail: Hagen, Loren D". ANC Explorer. Retrieved March 2, 2023.
- ^ "Hagen, Loren Douglas, 1LT". army.togertherweserved.com. Retrieved December 5, 2021.
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Loren D. Hagen.
- "Medal of Honor recipients – Vietnam (A-L)". Medal of Honor citations. United States Army Center of Military History. June 8, 2009. Archived from the original on 2009-06-27. Retrieved 2007-07-20.
- John Plaster, The Last Stand of RT Kansas, retrieved 2016-05-30.