1st Lt. William D. Hawkins
U.S. Marine Corps (USMC), 2nd Marine Division, 2nd Marines, 2nd Battalion
Scout Sniper earned Medal of Honor on Tarawa (Betio)
Background
William Dean Hawkins was born April 19, 1914 in Fort Scott, Kansas. As a baby, a neighbor accidentally spilled scalding water onto him causing severe muscular damage and scarred him for life but was able to walk again because his mother massaged him for a year. At age five, his family moved to El Paso, Texas. Three years later, his father died forcing his mother to work to support he son. As a student, Hawkins excelled and skipped the fifth grade before graduating from from El Paso High School at age 16. He attended the Texas College of Mines with a scholarship and studied engineering and worked odd jobs while not in school. At age 21 he moved to went to Tacoma, Washington for work and two years later was employed as an engineer for a Los Angeles title-insurance company.
Wartime History
After the United States entered World War II, he tried to join the U.S. Army and U.S. Navy but his childhood scars prevented him from being accepted. On January 5, 1942 enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve (USMCR) and assigned to the 7th Recruit Battalion, Marine Corps Recruit Depot at San Diego. After boot camp, he was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 2nd Marines, 2nd Marine Division (2nd MarDiv) and completed Scout Snipers' School at Camp Elliott at San Diego and completed training with the rank of Private First Class.
On July 1, 1942 sent overseas aboard USS Crescent City to the South Pacific (SOPAC) and served on Guadalcanal. On November 17, 1942, he was commissioned as an officer with the rank of 2nd Lieutenant. On June 1, 1943, promoted to the rank of 1st Lieutenant.
On November 20, 1943 Hawkins landed at Tarawa (Betio) leading a scout sniper platoon under heavy fire that was tasked with neutralizing emplacements and covering the Marine landing. On November 21, 1943 at dawn, Hawkins led an attacks against pillboxes and installations and was he was wounded in the chest but refused to be withdrawn and continued attacking until mortally wounded. Later, he posthumous earned the Medal of Honor for his actions.
Award
During September 1944, his mother accepted the Medal of Honor from U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt at a White House ceremony.
Medal of Honor Citation Posthumous (November 20–21, 1943)
 "For valorous and gallant conduct above and beyond the call of duty as Commanding Officer of a Scout Sniper Platoon attached to the Second Marines, Second Marine Division, in action against Japanese-held Tarawa in the Gilbert Islands, November 20 and 21, 1943. The first to disembark from the jeep lighter, First lieutenant Hawkins unhesitatingly moved forward under heavy enemy fire at the end of the Betio pier, neutralizing emplacements in coverage of troops assaulting the main breach positions. Fearlessly leading his men on to join the forces fighting desperately to gain a beachhead, he repeatedly risked his life throughout the day and night to direct and lead attacks on pill boxes and installations with grenades and demolition. At dawn on the following day, First Lieutenant Hawkins returned to the dangerous mission of clearing the limited beachhead of Japanese resistance, personally initiating an assault on a hostile fortified by five enemy machine guns and, crawling forward in the face of withering fire, boldly fired point-blank into the loopholes and completed the destruction with grenades. Refusing to withdraw after being seriously wounded in the chest during this skirmish, First Lieutenant Hawkins steadfastly carried the fight to the enemy, destroying three more pill boxes before he was caught in a burst of Japanese shell fire and mortally wounded. His relentless fighting spirit in the face of formidable opposition and his exceptionally daring tactics were an inspiration to his comrades during the most crucial phase of the battle and reflect the highest credit upon the United States Naval Service. He gallantly gave his life for his country." |
Memorials
Hawkins was officially declared dead on November 21, 1943. Postwar he was buried at National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific (Punchbowl) at section B, site 646. During late December 1943, Tarawa Airfield was named "Hawkins Field" in his honor.
References
FindAGrave - 1LT William Deane Hawkins (photo, grave photo)
Marine Corps Chevron, Volume 2, Number 51, 25 December 1943 "Betio Airfield Named For Hero Of Bloody Fight"
"Second Field In Pacific Named For Marine After Being Wrested From Japs WASHINGTON — Betio Airfield on Tarawa island has been' named for Lt. William D. Hawkins, who fell taking the most hazardous strip of sand ever taken in combat. Lt. Hawkins, leading a special scout-sniper group, struck the initial blow against the Japs on Betio 10 minutes before the zero hour 20 Nov. The group was told to seen re the 600 yard pier jutting out from Betio Beach and to wipe out all the Jap machine gun nests threatening the invasion force. Continuing on his mission though wounded, Lt. Hawkins was hit by an explosive shell in the shoulder. During the night he died.
BRAVEST MAN Robert Sherrod, correspondent for Time Magazine, cabled: "The bravest man I have ever seen was Lt. William D. Hawkins, a Texas boy from El Paso who commanded a platoon. To say that his conduct was worthy of the highest traditions of the Marine Corps is like saying the Empire Stale building is moderately high," Lt. Hawkins is the second Marine whose gallantry has been recognized during this war in the naming of an airfield. Henderson Field on Guadalcanal was named for Maj. Lofton R. Henderson, commanding officer of a dive bomber squadron. GALLANT CONQUEST TARAWA, Nov. 22 (Delayed)— Thirty five daring Marines and their indomitable "skipper"', 1st Lt. William I. Hawkins, wrote one of the most gallant chapters in the conquest of Tarawa. Lt. Hawkins and more than a dozen of his men arc buried beneath the sands of Bloody Betio Beach. Their job was one of the mast ticklish ever assigned any contingent. They were to wipe out all the Jap machine gun nests threatening the invasion force. They routed six nests before our first wave struck the beach. Rut when our carrier-based planes began the terrific bombardment i that rocked Tarawa without letup for two days, Lt. Hawkins and his Marines were right in the middle of it. Blasts from the bombs were bad | enough. Then the canny Japs dynamited one section of the pier, set off several mines near the scout-snipers and raked them from the beach with all types of fire. The plucky Devil Dogs refused to retreat and stormed forward with rifles blitzing. They used grenades almost every 10 yards, and finally it was the Japs who retreated —far enough to lessen the danger to the troops scrambling ashore.—Sgt. Pete Zurlinden, combat correspondent. When you argue with a fool, make sure that he isn't similarly occupied."
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