Loren D. Hagen
Encyclopedia
Loren Douglas Hagen was a United States Army
Special Forces
officer and a recipient of the United States military's highest decoration—the Medal of Honor
—for his actions during the Vietnam War
as Recon Team (RT) leader of a small special reconnaissance
unit "RT Kansas", manned by USASF "Green Berets
" and highly trained Montagnard commandos
from TF1AE (Task Force One Advisory Element) aka "CCN" (Command & Control North), a division of Studies and Observations Group (MACV-SOG) in the Vietnam War.
team had landed and secured their position for the overnight mission almost within sight of the Hanoi
High Command
's most critical new venture of late 1971, the first six-inch fuel pipeline laid across the Vietnamese DMZ
, which was essential a few months in the future when entire tank battalions rolled through the area for the Vietnam War's largest offensive. The 304th North Vietnamese Army (NVA) Division was already massing there, plus a regiment of the 308th Division, in preparation for the 1972 Easter Offensive.
, and by August 7, 1971 was serving as a first lieutenant in command of special Recon Team
(RT) Kansas, a mixed unit of U.S. Army Special Forces and Montagnard commandos from Task Force One Advisory Element (TF1AE), also known as Command & Control North (CCN) with MACV-SOG (name changed in March 1971 to "TAG" Training Advisory Group, U.S. Army).
of the Republic of Vietnam
, Hagen led his small recon
team's defense, and when USASF Sgt. Bruce Allen Berg was hit by a rocket in one of the team's bunker
s, Hagen crawled towards Berg's position through heavy fire in an attempt to assist Berg, returning fire as he proceeded. Mortally wounded in the process, Hagen was later posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions. Berg was never found and he was initially listed as Missing in Action
, Body Not Recovered. Berg was 21 at the time of his loss. He was later declared 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 (DSC
awarded for his actions), USASF SGT Bruce Allen Berg, USASF SGT William "Bill" Rimondi, USASF SGT Tony "Fast Eddie" Andersen (?), and eight Bru
Dega
(Montagnard) Commando
s (no names available).
Hagen, aged 25 at his death, was buried in Arlington National Cemetery
, Arlington County, Virginia
.
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
Special Forces
Special forces
Special forces, or special operations forces are terms used to describe elite military tactical teams trained to perform high-risk dangerous missions that conventional units cannot perform...
officer and a recipient of the United States military's highest decoration—the Medal of Honor
Medal of Honor
The Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration awarded by the United States government. It is bestowed by the President, in the name of Congress, upon members of the United States Armed Forces who distinguish themselves through "conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his or her...
—for his actions during the Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
as Recon Team (RT) leader of a small special reconnaissance
Special reconnaissance
Special reconnaissance is conducted by small units of highly trained military personnel, usually from special forces units or military intelligence organisations, who operate behind enemy lines, avoiding direct combat and detection by the enemy. As a role, SR is distinct from commando operations,...
unit "RT Kansas", manned by USASF "Green Berets
Green Berets
A green beret was the headgear of the British Commandos of World War II. Certain military organisations still wear green berets because they have regimental or unit histories that form a connection with the British Commandos of World War II....
" and highly trained Montagnard commandos
Commandos
Commandos is a stealth-oriented real-time tactics game series, available for Microsoft Windows and Mac OS X. The game is set in the Second World War and follows the escapades of a fictional British Commandos section. It leans heavily on historical events during WWII to carry the plot...
from TF1AE (Task Force One Advisory Element) aka "CCN" (Command & Control North), a division of Studies and Observations Group (MACV-SOG) in the Vietnam War.
Facing massed NVA forces
Hagan's special reconnaissanceSpecial reconnaissance
Special reconnaissance is conducted by small units of highly trained military personnel, usually from special forces units or military intelligence organisations, who operate behind enemy lines, avoiding direct combat and detection by the enemy. As a role, SR is distinct from commando operations,...
team had landed and secured their position for the overnight mission almost within sight of the Hanoi
Hanoi
Hanoi , is the capital of Vietnam and the country's second largest city. Its population in 2009 was estimated at 2.6 million for urban districts, 6.5 million for the metropolitan jurisdiction. From 1010 until 1802, it was the most important political centre of Vietnam...
High Command
High command
The phrase High command may refer to:* Command * Chain of command* Commander-in-Chief* Defence minister* Oberkommando der Wehrmacht, the WWII command structure popularly known as "German High Command"Compare:* Staff...
's most critical new venture of late 1971, the first six-inch fuel pipeline laid across the Vietnamese DMZ
Vietnamese Demilitarized Zone
The Vietnamese Demilitarized Zone was established as a dividing line between North and South Vietnam as a result of the First Indochina War.During the Second Indochina War , it became important as the battleground demarcation separating North Vietnamese territory from South Vietnamese territory.-...
, which was essential a few months in the future when entire tank battalions rolled through the area for the Vietnam War's largest offensive. The 304th North Vietnamese Army (NVA) Division was already massing there, plus a regiment of the 308th Division, in preparation for the 1972 Easter Offensive.
Career and Command
Hagen joined the Army from his birth city of Fargo, North DakotaFargo, North Dakota
Fargo is the largest city in the U.S. state of North Dakota and the county seat of Cass County. In 2010, its population was 105,549, and it had an estimated metropolitan population of 208,777...
, and by August 7, 1971 was serving as a first lieutenant in command of special Recon Team
Special reconnaissance
Special reconnaissance is conducted by small units of highly trained military personnel, usually from special forces units or military intelligence organisations, who operate behind enemy lines, avoiding direct combat and detection by the enemy. As a role, SR is distinct from commando operations,...
(RT) Kansas, a mixed unit of U.S. Army Special Forces and Montagnard commandos from Task Force One Advisory Element (TF1AE), also known as Command & Control North (CCN) with MACV-SOG (name changed in March 1971 to "TAG" Training Advisory Group, U.S. Army).
Enemy attack
During an enemy attack on August 7, in an assembly area of the North Vietnamese Army in the A Shau ValleyA Shau Valley
The A Shau Valley is a valley in Vietnam's, Thừa Thiên province, west of the city of Huế along the border with Laos. The valley was one of the key entry points into South Vietnam for men and matériel brought along the Ho Chi Minh Trail by the communist forces and was the scene of heavy fighting...
of the Republic of Vietnam
South Vietnam
South Vietnam was a state which governed southern Vietnam until 1975. It received international recognition in 1950 as the "State of Vietnam" and later as the "Republic of Vietnam" . Its capital was Saigon...
, Hagen led his small recon
Special reconnaissance
Special reconnaissance is conducted by small units of highly trained military personnel, usually from special forces units or military intelligence organisations, who operate behind enemy lines, avoiding direct combat and detection by the enemy. As a role, SR is distinct from commando operations,...
team's defense, and when USASF Sgt. Bruce Allen Berg was hit by a rocket in one of the team's bunker
Bunker
A military bunker is a hardened shelter, often buried partly or fully underground, designed to protect the inhabitants from falling bombs or other attacks...
s, Hagen crawled towards Berg's position through heavy fire in an attempt to assist Berg, returning fire as he proceeded. Mortally wounded in the process, Hagen was later posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions. Berg was never found and he was initially listed as Missing in Action
Missing in action
Missing in action is a casualty Category assigned under the Status of Missing to armed services personnel who are reported missing during active service. They may have been killed, wounded, become a prisoner of war, or deserted. If deceased, neither their remains nor grave can be positively...
, Body Not Recovered. Berg was 21 at the time of his loss. He was later declared Killed in Action
Killed in action
Killed in action is a casualty classification generally used by militaries to describe the deaths of their own forces at the hands of hostile forces. The United States Department of Defense, for example, says that those declared KIA need not have fired their weapons but have been killed due to...
, Body Not Recovered (KIA/BNR).
Other members of Recon Team Kansas were: USASF SSG Oran Bingham, USASF SGT William R. "Bill" Queen (DSC
Distinguished Service Cross (United States)
The Distinguished Service Cross is the second highest military decoration that can be awarded to a member of the United States Army, for extreme gallantry and risk of life in actual combat with an armed enemy force. Actions that merit the Distinguished Service Cross must be of such a high degree...
awarded for his actions), USASF SGT Bruce Allen Berg, USASF SGT William "Bill" Rimondi, USASF SGT Tony "Fast Eddie" Andersen (?), and eight Bru
Bru people
The Bru are an ethnic group living in Vietnam, Laos, and Thailand. They speak Bru, a Mon–Khmer language, which has several dialects...
Dega
Dega
Dega is a town in the Komtoèga Department of Boulgou Province in south-eastern Burkina Faso. As of 2005, the town has a population of 1,479....
(Montagnard) Commando
Commando
In English, the term commando means a specific kind of individual soldier or military unit. In contemporary usage, commando usually means elite light infantry and/or special operations forces units, specializing in amphibious landings, parachuting, rappelling and similar techniques, to conduct and...
s (no names available).
Hagen, aged 25 at his death, was buried in Arlington National Cemetery
Arlington National Cemetery
Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington County, Virginia, is a military cemetery in the United States of America, established during the American Civil War on the grounds of Arlington House, formerly the estate of the family of Confederate general Robert E. Lee's wife Mary Anna Lee, a great...
, Arlington County, Virginia
Arlington County, Virginia
Arlington County is a county in the Commonwealth of Virginia. The land that became Arlington was originally donated by Virginia to the United States government to form part of the new federal capital district. On February 27, 1801, the United States Congress organized the area as a subdivision of...
.
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 special reconnaissanceSpecial reconnaissanceSpecial reconnaissance is conducted by small units of highly trained military personnel, usually from special forces units or military intelligence organisations, who operate behind enemy lines, avoiding direct combat and detection by the enemy. As a role, SR is distinct from commando operations,...
team operating deep within enemy-held territory. At approximately 0630 hours on the morning of 7 August 1971 the small team came under a fierce assault by a superior-sized enemy force using heavy small arms, automatic weapons, mortarMortar (weapon)A mortar is an indirect fire weapon that fires explosive projectiles known as bombs at low velocities, short ranges, and high-arcing ballistic trajectories. It is typically muzzle-loading and has a barrel length less than 15 times its caliber....
, and rocket fire. 1st Lt. Hagen immediately began returning small-arms fire upon the attackers and successfully led this team in repelling the first enemy onslaught. He then quickly deployed his men into more strategic defense locations before the enemy struck again in an attempt to overrun and annihilate the beleaguered team's members. 1st Lt. Hagen repeatedly exposed himself to the enemy fire directed at him as he constantly moved about the team's perimeter, directing fire, rallying the members, and resupplying the team with ammunition, while courageously returning small arms and hand grenadeHand grenadeA hand grenade is any small bomb that can be thrown by hand. Hand grenades are classified into three categories, explosive grenades, chemical and gas grenades. Explosive grenades are the most commonly used in modern warfare, and are designed to detonate after impact or after a set amount of time...
fire 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.
See also
- A Shau ValleyA Shau ValleyThe A Shau Valley is a valley in Vietnam's, Thừa Thiên province, west of the city of Huế along the border with Laos. The valley was one of the key entry points into South Vietnam for men and matériel brought along the Ho Chi Minh Trail by the communist forces and was the scene of heavy fighting...
- List of Medal of Honor recipients
- List of Medal of Honor recipients for the Vietnam War