Search the Site with

General Characteristics

Crew List

About the Ship's Name

Image Gallery

to end of page

MV Cpl. Louis J. Hauge Jr. (T-AK 3000)

Sorry, no coat of arms available.

Built as commercial container ship ESTELLE MAERSK in 1979, the ship was purchased by the Maritime Administration (MARAD) in January 1983 and subsequently entered the Bethlehem shipyard at Baltimore, Md., for conversion to a maritime prepositioning ship. The conversion was finished in September 1984 and the ship entered service as MV CPL LOUIS J. HAUGE JR becoming the first ship in the Navy to bear the name.

The CPL LOUIS J. HAUGE JR is operated by Maersk Line and is assigned to Maritime Prepositioning Squadron 2 at Diego Garcia.

back to top

go to the end of the page

back to top

go to the end of the page

Crew List:

This section contains the names of sailors who served aboard MV CPL LOUIS J. HAUGE JR. It is no official listing but contains the names of sailors who submitted their information.

• Click here to view the list.

back to top

go to the end of the page

About the Ship's Name:

MV CPL LOUIS J. HAUGE JR is named in honor of US Marine Corps, Reserve, Cpl. Louis J. Hauge Jr. who was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions against enemy Japanese forces on Okinawa Shima in the Ryukyu Chain on 14 May 1945.

Citation:

For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty as Leader of a Machine-Gun Squad serving with Company C, First Battalion, First Marines, First Marine Division, in action against enemy Japanese forces on Okinawa Shima in the Ryukyu Chain on 14 May 1945. Alert and aggressive during a determined assault against a strongly fortified Japanese Hill position, Corporal Hauge boldly took the initiative when his company's left flank was pinned down under a heavy machine-gun and mortar barrage with resultant severe casualties and, quickly locating the two machine guns which were delivering the uninterrupted stream of enfilade fire, ordered his squad to maintain a covering barrage as he rushed across an exposed area toward the furiously blazing enemy weapons. Although painfully wounded as he charged the first machine-gun, he launched a vigorous singlehanded grenade attack, destroyed the entire hostile gun position and moved relentlessly forward toward the other emplacement despite his wounds and the increasingly heavy Japanese fire. Undaunted by the savage opposition, he again hurled his deadly grenades with unerring aim and succeeded in demolishing the second enemy gun before he fell under the slashing fury of Japanese sniper fire. By his ready grasp of the critical situation and his heroic one-man assault tactics, Corporal Hauge had eliminated two strategically placed enemy weapons, thereby releasing the besieged troops from an overwhelming volume of hostile fire and enabling his company to advance. His indomitable fighting spirit and decisive valor in the face of almost certain death reflect the highest credit upon Corporal Hauge and the United States Naval Service. He gallantly gave his life in the service of his country.

back to top

go to the end of the page

MV CPL LOUIS J. HAUGE JR Image Gallery:

The photo below was taken by Stefan Karpinski and shows the CPL LOUIS J. HAUGE JR being escorted through Bab El Mandeb by the German frigate MECKLENBURG-VORPOMMERN (F 218) during Operation Enduring Freedom in 2003.

back to top

Back to Cargo Ships List.

Back to ships list.

Back to selection page.

Back to 1^st page.