Help me find the family of Clarence L. Hagen.
I’m trying to draft up a response to the neverending Cease and Desist letters we get here at TAH HQ. I fricken hate lawyers. When in walks a friend who places a Silver Star and a Purple Heart on my desk, and asks me to find the family. Screw the lawyer stuff, I’m shifting to the Lord’s work.
Clarence L. Hagen was a hero, a Marine, a Minnesotan, and our brother. And he died June 17, 1944. But he didn’t die alone.
The President of the United States of America takes pride in presenting the Silver Star (Posthumously) to Private First Class Clarence L. Hagen (MCSN: 882176), United States Marine Corps Reserve, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity while serving with the Third Battalion, Sixth Marines, SECOND Marine Division in action against enemy Japanese forces on Saipan Island, Marianas Islands on 17 June 1944. Courageous and aggressive in the face of terrific fire from Japanese guns, Private First Class Hagen, landing on Saipan with the assault wave, pushed his way forward despite fierce enemy resistance and had advanced several yards beyond the beach when his platoon was pinned down by fire from an enemy machine gun. Voluntarily exposing himself to the intense hostile fire, he succeeded in destroying the Japanese Machine gun and its crew thereby enabling his platoon to reorganize and continue the advance before he was mortally wounded. By his unwavering devotion to duty and determination, Private First Class Hagen contributed materially to the ultimate success of this vital campaign. His exemplary conduct was in keeping with the highest traditions of the Unites States Naval Service. He gallantly gave his life for his country.
General Orders: Commander in Chief, Pacific: Serial 1508 (February 22, 1945)
Action Date: June 17, 1944
Service: Marine Corps
Rank: Private First Class
Battalion: 3d Battalion
Regiment: 6th Marines
Division: 2d Marine Division
This is his Silver Star and his purple heart, along with a note from a WONDERFUL MAN named Ed in Maine, who writes
Hope you can locate family. Tried in East x Maine x No luck. Found in abandoned truck.
I want to know a family contact, and want it yesterday. And I won’t mail this, because I’m not letting it out of my sight until it is either with the family, or a museum. Because he was our brother, and we need to look out for each other, even if it is just a medal from 70 years after we pass. That’s what we truly served for.
January 11th, 2013 at 1:08 pm
Jonn. I’m close to Quantico. I’ll help if I can.
January 11th, 2013 at 1:13 pm
It truly is God’s work, what you guys do.
Keep it up and thank you for doing it.
January 11th, 2013 at 1:15 pm
This is one of those times where if we had unlimited access to a site like ancestry.com (sadly, I do not) this job might be a bit easier.
January 11th, 2013 at 1:16 pm
I have family up in south Maine and can ask on FB.
They are tied to the LE community. Maybe that will help.
January 11th, 2013 at 1:16 pm
NHSparky, I have a paid account on Ancestry. Let me check. The problem is that living people are often hidden.
January 11th, 2013 at 1:20 pm
Please let me know if I can help. I live in Texas
January 11th, 2013 at 1:22 pm
Talk to Taco’s Mom.
January 11th, 2013 at 1:23 pm
Took a flyer and called 2nd MARDIV PIO. They requested the link, so I sent them the page and the article.
January 11th, 2013 at 1:24 pm
TSO–what part of Maine did you get this from, if I may ask? Perhaps I can contact some of the PD’s there or access some public records if they’re anywhere from, say, Portland or points south.
January 11th, 2013 at 1:25 pm
Found this from a newspaper in 1944. It reports that he’s from Chicago.
http://diglib4.princeton.edu/historic/cgi-bin/historic?a=d&d=MarineCorpsChevron19440729-01.2.91&e=——-en-20–1–txt-IN—–
It’s just his name, rank and town though.
January 11th, 2013 at 1:27 pm
Think this is him?
http://warmemorial.us/mediawiki3/index.php?title=CLARENCE_L._HAGEN_-_Cook,_IL_(PFC)_WWII
January 11th, 2013 at 1:27 pm
Sure wish I knew how to help…Good luck!! I sure hope his family is found!
January 11th, 2013 at 1:28 pm
Home of Record was Chicago Ill. Place of Birth Albert Lea Minnasota.
January 11th, 2013 at 1:29 pm
Okay, I see where the folks who found them had no luck, TSO, but perhaps if there was a plate on the truck (unlikely, I know) the local LEO’s could trace to last known owner based on registration.
January 11th, 2013 at 1:32 pm
More from number 11. Mother was Mary Leinhold (divorced), from Cook, Illinois. Seems she passed away in 1985. Note sure if PFC Hagen had no wife/children so I’m looking for any leads I can find from his mother’s relations.
January 11th, 2013 at 1:36 pm
Passed it along to any family I have. My nephew is a Marine and I should also pass it along to folks on my wife’s side of the family too. Marines and Navy there.
I posted it on the Stolen Valor page as well.
I’m sure the internet and the communities can generate some leads!
January 11th, 2013 at 1:38 pm
This website lists his mother’s address in Chicago:
http://www.accessgenealogy.com/navy/illinois/h.htm
Her name is Mary Leinhold, I did a white pages search which shows no one by that name in Chicago, but there is a Mary Leinhold in Tucson, AZ. I could not get her number from the web. You may have better luck.
January 11th, 2013 at 1:45 pm
Not sure I can help, but hopefully Ed reads this entry. God Bless you ED.
January 11th, 2013 at 1:49 pm
http://trees.ancestry.com/tree/2650145/person/-1820335642/comments?pg=32768&pgpl=pid
This link is to a member tree on Ancestry.com, the date of death is a match, and the date of birth would make him 20 when he died, born in Minnesota. Mother on the birth certificate is Mary Jensen, father Clarence Hagen.
January 11th, 2013 at 1:49 pm
Clarence L Hagen b 1925 to Clarence and Carla Hagen Albert Lea MN. Died June 17 1944. He has living nieces and nephews I can contact on ancestry.com. and yes I have unlimited access, paid member of the the site. I am messaging family member now.
January 11th, 2013 at 1:49 pm
You have mail.
January 11th, 2013 at 1:51 pm
I found a record on Ancestry
Combat Naval Casualties, World War II, (AL-MO)
HAGEN, Clarence L., PFC. USMCR.
Mother Mrs. Mary Leinhold, 4338
Lawrence Ave., Chicago
and on a WWI Draft Registration card it says he has a wife and one child. Is this him?
http://search.ancestry.com/iexec?htx=View&r=an&dbid=6482&iid=MN-1675466-4229&fn=Clarence&ln=Hagen&st=r&ssrc=&pid=28615710
January 11th, 2013 at 1:53 pm
Posted this to some friends in Minnesota asking that they will share it with friends there…hope you can find them!
January 11th, 2013 at 1:57 pm
Albert Lea is about 20 miles south of me and I know the commander of the VFW if you need any info from there. Let me know.
January 11th, 2013 at 1:58 pm
This lists a Clarence Hagen in the dakotas
http://www.minotdailynews.com/page/content.detail/id/521587.html
January 11th, 2013 at 1:59 pm
@20 If that doesn’t pan out, looks like his step-father’s name was Nick Leinhold.
Looks as though his mother went through a few name changes. She was known as Clara Jensen -> Clara Hagen -> Mary Hagen, then Mary Leinhold.
January 11th, 2013 at 2:09 pm
Just my 2 cents worth, but apparently Hagen may have had a wife and child at the time of his death. In my book, they and their descendants are the ones who should have first claim on these medals.
Hagen’s records at NARA might well contain information identifying his spouse and child; however, I don’t know if that info would normally be releasable under the FOIA. And accessing archival records generally ain’t without cost; that’s why we don’t have Pequignot’s posted here at TAH (his records are archival and NARA wanted what I thought was a fairly steep fee to retrieve them).
However, if the USMC requested Hagan’s records from NARA that might be a different issue. Among the services, the USMC proverbially prays at the altar of honor. I think if anyone here has a good contact at HQMC – particularly among the more senior NCOs stationed there – that might be just the ticket.
Again: just my opinion, and YMMV.
January 11th, 2013 at 2:09 pm
Hi,
I found his family on ancestry.com and sent a note to them. This Clarence has the same death date and is from Freeborn County, Minnesota. Hope this works out ok. If you want more info, contact me.
January 11th, 2013 at 2:11 pm
@22 Does it have the name of his wife on there? We can’t see the info on that link unless we have a membership.
January 11th, 2013 at 2:28 pm
I sent a star cluster to a WWII vet organization in Chicago I have contacts with to see what distribution they can get for this.
http://www.honorflightchicago.org/
January 11th, 2013 at 2:46 pm
Good work everyone!
January 11th, 2013 at 3:04 pm
If those sources don’t get you what you need – so to http://www.marineheritage.org. That is the Marine Corps history museum. I was looking for records on my Uncle Frank – who was also part of the 3rd Battalion/6th Marine Div and made the ultimate sacrifice on Okinawa. (I wonder if they knew one another?)
They were really great at getting me Uncle Frank’s original casualty card with complete information – including NOK.
Thanks for the work you are doing!!
Barb
January 11th, 2013 at 3:04 pm
if you don’t find info for his family, try a couple of things. 1) send e-mail link with this hero’s story to ; Howard “Buck” McKeon, Chairman of the Armed Services Committee. If he or his staff can’t pull out military information that can help, no one can.
2) Marine Hagen would have had military life insurance. Someone would have collected when told he was killed.
3) There is a Social Security Death Index, it may help find who may have collected any benefits.
January 11th, 2013 at 3:09 pm
Has anyone stopped to consider that maybe the family had them in the first place and didn’t care enough to try and find them once they junked the truck?
I mean, obviously the veteran wasn’t the one who had them considering he was dead, so somebody would have gotten them for him. Which could have been family, who ended up just leaving them in some old truck and junking it.
Just thinking, maybe it’d be better off going to a museum.
January 11th, 2013 at 3:13 pm
@34 considered but want to verify that before I donate to museum. Truck could have been stolen with belongings for all we know. But I will proceed with open cautious mind.
January 11th, 2013 at 3:19 pm
I can contribute nothing but my increased admiration for the caring humans that frequent this blog.
January 11th, 2013 at 3:20 pm
I know someone at HQMC and passed the info along. Don’t know if it’ll pan out, but he’s an officer that might get somewhere with this.
At least you’re looking. Yeah, maybe they might have left them behind, but it’s better to find out than not care at all!
January 11th, 2013 at 3:43 pm
Friends: CPT Zachariah Fike, an active duty Vermont National Guardsman, operates a 501(C) (3) program called “Purple Hearts Reunited” which specializes in locating the living family members of lost or stolen Purple Heart medals. He sets up a special presentation ceremony that includes a return of ALL the medals the individual was entitled to as well as an American Flag that has been appropriately flown, all within a special presentation case. I would recommend that you and/or your friends contact CPT Fike for advice on setting up an appropriate ceremony for the family of Clarence Hagen. Zac can be reached by phone at (315) 523-3609 or by email at crossfitnation(at)hotmail(dot)com.
January 11th, 2013 at 4:02 pm
I’ve sent several e-mails; will advise soonest. God Bless!
January 11th, 2013 at 4:17 pm
I used to live on Saipan, not a place I would want to fight a battle… The Higgins boats and a couple tanks are still rusting away on the reefs. God bless the Marines that took that beach.
January 11th, 2013 at 4:43 pm
Elizabeth Hanneman-Clarke Share intel on the Lawyer stuff… I might be able to assist with the stupid stuff. So you can concentrate on the important things.. like this.
January 11th, 2013 at 5:21 pm
Hagan, Clarence L. (b. 06 JUN 1924, d. 17 JUN 1944)
Census: Date: 1930
Place: MN,Freeborn Co. Roll 1087, Bk 1, Pg 72
January 11th, 2013 at 5:34 pm
@25 Not sure that’s the right Clarence Hagen. If those dates are right then he would have only been 10 years old when his son was born.
January 11th, 2013 at 5:57 pm
I have access to ancestry.com if you need it…
January 11th, 2013 at 6:22 pm
I checked NARA Online. Records available are for the US Army & Reserve enlistments 1936-1945, Navy Intel (China).
January 11th, 2013 at 6:23 pm
I searched NARA Online. Records available are for the US Army & Reserve enlistments 1936-1945, Navy Intel (China).
January 11th, 2013 at 7:03 pm
This story just increases my admiration for those who frequent this site. It would be an absolute honor to be present when you pass the awards to the nest of kin.
January 11th, 2013 at 7:08 pm
@27 & 37: I’ve got feelers out at HQMC already, and will coontact the PAO to perhaps lend a hand on Monday. I got this story a little late today, so my initial calls to Manpower were placed a little late in the day. Perhaps we can dredge up enough adequate information to find a family member soon. I will also push to get actual records released. Not sure where that will lead.
January 11th, 2013 at 7:21 pm
Woe you guys are quick looking stuff up!!,, I found a little info. He was in 1st BN RTR and then Inf Training at campElliot in Oct 1943. He was assigned to a CASREPCO with an FPO Sa Fran Address in Jan 1944.
January 11th, 2013 at 9:51 pm
Post your request on these pages: https://www.facebook.com/albertleatribune
http://www.albertleatribune.com/2013/01/10/myrtle-cemetery-to-get-veterans-memorial/
January 11th, 2013 at 9:56 pm
@49 – That’s interesting. Not to change the subject, but I believe Camp Elliot was where the present MCAS Miramar is. Also the same place where Eugene Sledge and John Basilone received their training.
And WOW. There’s a facebook page up already!
January 12th, 2013 at 12:36 am
Just want to say I love you people.
January 12th, 2013 at 3:45 am
Please have the person who has these medals contact me via email sometime today and I will send him/her my phone number just put Medals in the subject box of the email. I am a semi professional genealogist and have possibly found Clarence’s brother’s son. But I will let the person who has the medals make phone contact with the family and I dont want to publicize the contact info for personal reasons to the family. Such a good deed this person is doing in trying to get these medals back to the family. I am a volunteer genealogist also for http://www.miap.us (We find and located unclaimed American Veterans.
Anything I can do to support any thing to do with Veterans is well deserved. My dad was a retired US Army Veteran , MY brother served in the Army and my husband is a disabled Army Veteran and we are currently the proud parents of a Brand New US Marine just out of Boot Camp and MCT and Currently in Mos School. He has been a US Marine since Aug 5.
January 12th, 2013 at 3:51 am
If this turns out to be the correct family I sure would like to know and one more thing Clarence’s brother Palmer Claren Hogen was born on 12 Jan 1915 according to his obit. He would be 98 years old today. The person I may have found will be his son.
Someone must be up in heaven guiding me!
January 12th, 2013 at 9:09 am
A little late, but I found this…
Advertisement:Your Credit Score
Advertisement:Search for Clarence’s high school yearbook photo!
Clarence L Hagen
home (920) 954-0497
250 W Highland Park Ave, Apt 724
Appleton, WI 54911-1187
Age: 65+
Associated: Joyce L Hagen
The age of this person suggests it might be a son…
January 12th, 2013 at 9:10 am
Whoopa…aorry about the junk.
January 12th, 2013 at 9:11 am
No…that person is 94…sorry, again.
January 12th, 2013 at 10:35 am
Amazing! This is how it should work – everyone focused on a task and getting the job done. Happened across this and am so proud of what everyone is doing to find this man’s family. I’ll be back to see how this turns out!
January 13th, 2013 at 9:48 pm
Response from 2 MARDIV PIO, 1LT Kristen McCarthy:
Good Afternoon,
Thank you for the email. I will talk to someone and see what we can do to help!
Very Respectfully,
1stLt Kristen McCarthy
Public Affairs Officer
2d Marine Division
Office: (910) 449-9924
January 15th, 2013 at 6:25 pm
To whom it may concern,
I am in contact with the veterans great niece. I have passed the information off to the veterans affairs office and arrangments are being made to present the awards to the family.
January 15th, 2013 at 6:25 pm
To whom it may concern,
I am in contact with the veterans great niece. I have passed the information off to the veterans affairs office and arrangments are being made to present the awards to the family.
January 17th, 2013 at 10:28 pm
Try his address in McIntosh, MN
If that doesn’t work, these are the names of his relatives
Louise Ann Hagen in Appleton WI
Joyce L. Hagen in LeMars, Iowa
Johathan Hagen in LeMars, Iowa
January 17th, 2013 at 10:36 pm
Great job everyone. My deepest regards.
April 8th, 2013 at 12:59 am
How did this story end? Find some family? Give them the medals? What?