Le Journal du Mémorial

John Luke Hastings

	Born December, 14 1917 at Scottsboro, Alabama, USA Residence : Aspel, Jackson, Alabama, USA Died June, 6 1944 at Omaha Beach, Normandy, France Buried in Normandy American Cimetery of Colleville-sur-Mer  (Plot J, Row 1, Grave 13) Religion : Protestant Civilian occupation: Farmer Awards :Silver Star (posthumously) and Purple Heart Service# : 34197116 Rank : PFC (Private First Class) Status : KIA (Killed In Action)

Father : Thomas Bailey Hastings (1889 – 1963)
Mother : Maggie Lucinda Knight (1892 – 1980)
Brothers and sister:
    Thomas Lawrence Hastings (1912 – 1975)
    Chester Pierston Hastings (1914 – 1988)
    Raymond Roy Hastings (1920 – 1974) (Service#34584087) enlisted 12/6/42
    Pauline Hastings (1924 – 1973)

1st Div. Inf. The Big Red One 16th Infantry Regiment	He was Private First Class in the company G, 2nd Battalion, 16th Infantry Regiment (RCT), from the 1st Infantry Division (The Big Red one) (Co. G, 2nd Bn, 16th RCT, 1st Div. Inf). Enlisted January, 30 1942 at Fort McPherson Atlanta, Georgia Arrival in England : May 42 Camp : Walditch, Dorset (from April 1st to April 24th 1944) Campaigns :    - Invasion of North Africa (Tunisia) : Operation Torch    - Battles in Sicily : Wounded in action (Operation Husky)    - Operation Overlord, landing in Normandy (Operation Neptune)
	Killed in action, June, 6 1944, on Omaha Beach, during the initial assault waves of landing. Arrival time : H+30 Sector : Easy Red Coming from : USS Henrico by LCVP (Landing Craft Vehicle and Personal) Load place : Weymouth - Portland (Isle of) He was awarded the Silver Star posthumously, for : "Gallantry in action in Normandy" Personal effects found on body and sent to his family:   - 1 Notebook   - 1 Cigaret lighter   - 1 Bible   - 1 Knife (souvenir)   - 1 Knife   - 7,46$ (in English money) His parents receive the news of his death by mail July 6, 1944.

For the "little" story:
  - "Adopted" since 2007
  - His brother, Raymond R. Hastings fought in Pacific area, in New Guinea
  - His cousin, James R. Knight, enlisted August, 17 1942, was incorpored in the same
    regiment that John Luke and killed the same day in same place.. He had 23 years old.
  - His ancestor, Sir William Hastings, first Baron of Hastings (1431 - 1483), was the first to
    beheaded at the Tower of London
  - The cemetery area is a perpetual concession made ​​by France to USA. It overlooks Omaha
     Beach

Documents
War Memorial Scottsboro, Alabama, USA	War Memorial Scottsboro, Alabama, USA	Newspaper article on death of John Luke and his cousin
Individual Deceased Personnel File	I.D.P.F Personal objects	I.D.P.F Silver Star nomination
I.D.P.F Battle casualty report	I.D.P.F Letter to family	I.D.P.F Letter to family

Location
Omaha Beach, Normandy, France	American Cemetery Colleville-sur-Mer

American Cemetery Plot J, Row n°1	Grave of John Luke Hastings	Omaha Beach Today
Grave of John Luke Hastings June 2012	Grave of John Luke Hastings June 2012	Grave of John Luke Hastings June 2012
Grave of John Luke Hastings June 2012	Omaha Beach June 2012	Omaha Beach June 2012
Sanded letters (from ABMC)	ABMC Normandy Virtual 360

Memorial Big Red One (Omaha Beach)

Omaha Beach Easy Red sector
Landing sectors	Bigot plan - Omaha East	USS Enrico
Easy Red - June, 6th 1944 - Robert Capa
Easy Red - September 2021

 

Informations requests:
  I searched everywhere in USA, to the service history of the 1st Infantry Division, also, at
  Scottsboro, at Aspel (where he lived), in different departments of defense and I even wrote
  to the White House, who answered to me by giving some government addresses.
  I wrote, also, to the Human Resources of the U.S. forces, in Alexandria, VA, who sent me his
  personal file of death. Many military informations were destroyed by fire in 1973 that ravaged
  the "National Personnel Record Center" in St. Louis, Missouri and destroyed 80% of cases of
  soldiers from 1912 to 1959.
  Recently (2012), I found the distant descendants of John Luke, who, kindly, sent me his
  picture and different informations and will try to find others.
  The civil information are also almost impossible to find

Eric Triau