The official government Purple Heart to 2nd Lieutenant Winston D. Hodgson, 29th Marine Regiment, 6th Marine Division, KIA Okinawa.
Hodgson, the youngest of three brothers, grew up in the Athens, GA area on his father’s dairy farm. He won a football scholarship to the University of Georgia, attending from 1937 through 1940 and was a starting offensive guard on the Dawgs team. Shortly after Pearl Harbor Winston joined the Air Corps for pilot’s training, he apparently got into an argument with an instructor and transferred to the Marine Corps in June of 1942. After boot camp he was selected as a drill instructor and later for officer candidate school. After commissioning he was ordered to join the 6th Marine Division. Hodgson led his platoon during the heavy combat at Yae-Take and Sugar Loaf Hill. During the approach on Naha his platoon was fighting for a hill in front of the city and were held up by a Japanese occupied position in a tomb or cave. Lt. Hodgson said to his men “I am going up to the cave and throw a grenade into it and I don’t want any of you following me until I give you the ‘all clear’ signal.” When he threw the grenade into the enemy occupied position there was a terrific explosion from Japanese ammunition inside the cave. Lt Hodgson was killed by the blast. He was buried at the 6th Marine Division cemetery and later reinterred in his hometown.
The medal itself is in very nice condition with wrap brooch and the official engraving on reverse. It has the original onion skin packaging still inside case. The case is the square edged Navy/Marine corps version. There is a large amount of information online regarding Lt. Hodgson, a true American Hero.
