Samuel R. Hodges

  • ASN:
    38522718
  • DATE OF BIRTH
    November 10, 1924
  • DATE OF DEATH
    November 29, 2015
FULL NAME:

Samuel R. Hodges

ARMY SERIAL NUMBER (ASN):

38522718

  • DATE OF BIRTH: November 10, 1924
  • DATE OF DEATH: November 29, 2015
RESIDENCE (DURING WWII):

Ragley, Beauregard Parish, Louisiana

DATE / PLACE OF ENLISTMENT:
  • DATE OF ENLISTMENT:
    November 18, 1943
  • PLACE OF ENLISTMENT:
    Shreveport, Louisiana
ORGANIZATION:
  • MAIN UNIT:
    38th Infantry Regiment
  • SUBUNIT:
    Company L, 3rd Battalion
RANK / POSITION IN UNIT (LAST KNOWN):
  • RANK:
    Staff Sergeant (S/Sgt.)
  • POSITION IN UNIT:
    Squad Leader
BATTLES AND CAMPAIGNS:

✭ Normandy Campaign (6 June – 24 July 1944), ✭ Northern France Campaign (25 July – 14 September 1944), ✭ Ardennes-Alsace Campaign (16 December 1944 – 25 January 1945), ✭ Rhineland Campaign (15 September 1944 – 21 March 1945), ✭ Central Europe Campaign (22 March – 11 May 1945)

SUMMARY OF HIS SERVICE:

Samuel R. Hodges joined Company L in Normandy when he was 19 years old. There he met Sgt. Jesse Hill, the sole survivor of the 2nd Squad after the Battle of Hill 192. Sgt. Hill chose him for the First Scout so Samuel issued a camouflage suit (he was one of the few soldiers in the 2nd Infantry Division who wore a special camouflage suit which was tested during this campaign) and a pair of wire cutters. Previous First Scout in the 2nd Squad was killed the first day of real combat. That is how Samuel R. Hodges joined his unit. Samuel fought in all major battles of the 2nd Infantry Division and in 2014 he was awarded with the French highest award "Legion d'Honneur" for his effort in liberation of France during the WW2. Samuel R. Hodges passed away one year later in November 2015. He was 91 years old.

HONORED BY:

Tom Hodges, Son

NARA - Display Full Records

File Unit: Electronic Army Serial Number Merged File, ca. 1938 - 1946 (Enlistment Records)
in the Series: World War II Army Enlistment Records, created 6/1/2002 - 9/30/2002, documenting the period ca. 1938 - 1946. - Record Group 64 (info)

Brief Scope: This series contains records of approximately nine million men and women who enlisted in the United States Army, including the Women's Army Auxiliary Corps.

Source: aad.archives.gov/aad/
SOLDIER RECORD:
Full Name:
Samuelor Lk L N Hodges

Army Serial Number:
38522718

Enlistment Place:
Shreveport Louisiana

Enlistment Date:
18 Nov 1943

Army Branch:
No branch assignment

Branch:
Army

Race or Ethnicity:
White

Residence:
Beauregard County, Louisiana

Enlistment Term:
Enlistment for the duration of the War or other emergency, plus six months, subject to the discretion of the President or otherwise according to law

Source of Army Personnel:
Civil Life

Army Component:
Selectees (Enlisted Men)

Level of Education:
Grammar school

Occupation:
Farm hands, general farms

Marital Status:
Married

Birth Date:
1924

Birth Place:
Louisiana

Source Box Number:
1346

Source Film Reel Number:
6.112

Conflict Period:
World War II

Served for:
United States of America

ARTICLES

S/Sgt. Samuel R. Hodges and the Battle for the Twin Villages

„…WE WERE TOLD TO GO BACK AND GUARD THE CROSSROADS LEADING INTO THE TOWN. WE QUICKLY RETREATED TO THE TOWN OF KRINKELT IN BELGIUM.“ S/Sgt. Samuel R. Hodges, Company L, 38th Inf. Regt. “Lt. Bill Jones from Oklahoma was our Platoon Leader. He was a considerable distance out front leading the way. There were numerous tanks around the crossroads which he presumed were Americans. When he realized they were German tanks, it was too late for escape. We all learned a valuable lesson that day, don´t ever presume anything. Lt. Jones hid behind a brick wall and watched as seven American soldiers lined up in front of a tank and were slaughtered. Then a lone soldier was lined up and shot. Hiding in an old well for a long period of time proved useless. Later that day, Lt. Jones was captured by infantry soldiers. Some wanted to shoot him on the spot, but thankfully, the leader would not permit it….

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