"For gallantry and intrepidity at risk of life above and beyond the call
of duty. On January 30, 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 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 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."
May you be at peace,
Brian
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