Pfc. Harlan Hahn From Lititz, PA

[TrevorR]

Well with boredom setting in with being at home cause everything is closed (except my work ) I have been doing a lot of research on this new Purple Heart. It is another one from Lititz, PA.

 

Pfc. Harlan Hahn

Born: 27 April 1922 in Lititz, PA

Co. L, 143rd Infantry Regiment, 36th Division

MIA/KIA 18 January 1944

Pre Rapido River Crossing.

 

Pfc. Harlan Hahn Enlisted in the US army in May 1943 in Lancaster, PA. After basing training he left over seas August 1943. He did not participate on the 36th Division Landing at Salerno, Italy. He was a replacement assigned to Co. L, 143rd Regiment on 29 September 1943. Once with the unit they had trained in river crossings, patrols, clearing house and much more. On 8 December 1943 Pfc. Hahn would be in the bitter fighting for San Pietro. The Unit would be fighting for approximately 10 days, suffering heavy casualties.In early January 1944 the division would receive more replacement for the casualties taken at San Pietro, and start training for the Crossing of the Rapido River.On the night of the 17 January the entire 143rd Regiment would move to Eastern bank of the river for the assault. On 18 January 1944 Pfc. Would be killed and go missing. The cause of death is unknown, but his body was never recovered. He is memorialized on the Sicily-Rome American Cemetery, and Listed on the Wall for Missing or Buried at sea

 

 

 

 

 

 

[scottplen]

Very nice tribute to a brave young man !

[TrevorR]

Received the PH and IDPF/Morning Reports.

 

In the Morning Report it states that on 18 Jan 1944 there was a patrol that went out and found themselves in a mine field.

4 soldiers were reported MIA, and 3 were WIA. Pfc. Hahn was one of those soldier listed as MIA during the Patrol.

Most likely he stepped on a mine, killing him.