HASTINGS, JOE R. - Medal of Honor Recipient
Rank and organization: Private First Class, U.S. Army, Company C, 386th
Infantry, 97th Infantry Division. Place and date: Drabenderhohe, Germany,
12 April 1945. Entered service at: Magnolia, Ohio. Birth: Malvern, Ohio.
G.O. No.: 101, 8 November 1945. Citation: 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 machinegun
section supporting the advance of the 1st and 3d Platoons, he braved direct
rifle, machinegun, 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 machinegun,
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 3d Platoon to his right was being
met by very heavy 40mm. and machinegun 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 2 machineguns out of action. Pfc. 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 4 days later while again supporting the 3d Platoon.
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