World War II Honoree

Joe R. Hastings

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Malvern, Ohio

Honored By

Ralph Bozorth

ENTERED SERVICE AT MAGNOLIA, OHIO. PRIVATE FIRST CLASS, U.S. ARMY, COMPANY C, 386TH INFANTRY, 97TH INFANTRY DIVISION. POSTHUMOUSLY AWARDED THE CONGRESSIONAL MEDAL OF HONOR FOR ACTION AT DRABENDERHOHE, GERMANY, APRIL 12, 1945; GO 101, NOVEMBER 8, 1945. CITATION READS, 'HE FOUGHT GALLANTLY DURING AN ATTACK AGAINST STRONG ENEMY FORCES DEFENDING DRABENDERHOHE, GERMANY FROM THE DUG-IN POSITIONS ON COMMANDING GROUND. AS SQUAD LEADER OF A LIGHT MACHINE GUN SECTION SUPPORTING THE ADVANCE OF THE 1ST AND 3RD PLATOONS, HE BRAVED DIRECT RIFLE, MACHINE GUN, 20MM AND MORTAR FIRE, SOME OF WHICH REPEATEDLY MISSED HIM ONLY BY INCHES AND RUSHED FORWARD OVER 350 YARDS OF OPEN, ROLLING FIELDS TO REACH A POSITION FROM WHICH HE COULD FIRE ON THE ENEMY TROOPS. FROM THIS VANTAGE POINT HE KILLED THE CREWS OF A 20MM GUN AND A MACHINE GUN, DROVE SEVERAL ENEMY RIFLEMEN FROM THEIR POSITIONS AND SO SUCCESSFULLY SHIELDED THE 1ST PLATOON THAT IT HAD TIME TO REORGANIZE AND REMOVE ITS WOUNDED TO SAFETY. OBSERVING THAT THE 3RD PLATOON TO HIS RIGHT WAS BEING MET BY VERY HEAVY 40MM AND MACHINE GUN FIRE, HE RAN 150 YARDS WITH HIS GUN TO THE LEADING ELEMENTS OF THAT UNIT, WHERE HE KILLED THE CREW OF THE 40MM GUN. AS SPEARHEAD OF THE 3D PLATOON'S ATTACK, HE ADVANCED, FIRING HIS GUN HELD AT HIP HEIGHT, DISREGARDING THE BULLETS THAT WHIPPED PAST HIM, UNTIL THE ASSAULT HAD CARRIED 175 YARDS TO THE OBJECTIVE. IN THIS CHARGE HE AND THE RIFLEMEN HE LED KILLED OR WOUNDED MANY OF THE FANATICAL ENEMY AND PUT TWO MACHINE GUNS OUT OF ACTION. PRIVATE FIRST CLASS HASTINGS, BY HIS INTREPIDITY, OUTSTANDING LEADERSHIP, AND UNRELENTING DETERMINATION TO WIPE OUT THE FORMIDABLE GERMAN OPPOSITION, CLEARED THE PATH FOR HIS COMPANY'S ADVANCE INTO DRABENDERHOHE. HE WAS KILLED FOUR DAYS LATER WHILE AGAIN SUPPORTING THE 3RD PLATOON.'