Charles Hagemeister was born on August 21, 1946, in Nebraska. He was drafted while on a break from the University of Nebraska at Lincoln in 1966, and became a medical specialist in Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 5th Cavalry (1st Cavalry Division). On March 20, 1967, his unit was ambushed and surrounded at Binh Dinh Province, Vietnam. Braving constant fire for hours, he repeatedly exposed himself to save his comrades and neutralized a sniper and other enemies. President Lyndon Johnson presented the Medal of Honor to Hagemeister in May 1968. He remained in the Army, received a commission, and retired as a lieutenant colonel in 1990. Subsequently, he served on the faculty of the U.S. Army Command & General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. He died May 19, 2021, and is interred in Leavenworth National Cemetery (Sec. 69, Site 55).

*The preceding content is not intended as a comprehensive biography, but it highlights their significance as a result of military or civilian distinction, lasting achievements, or association with impactful national events.


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Great American Hero. He was always volunteering in the local community to help veterans. He was always at the Wreaths Across America ceremony at Fort Leavenworth National Cemetery. 

CHARLES CHRIS HAGEMEISTER

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