Our Forgotten but Notable Neighbors: PFC. Dennis Hogan Jr.

PFC. DENNIS HOGAN, JR.

  “Our dead are never dead, as long as they are not forgotten”

   Hogan’s Diner in Orangeburg is famous for its great food, generous portions, and relaxed ambiance.  Upon entering, you will pass beneath a street sign touting Pfc. Dennis Hogan, Jr. Ave.  While inside, if you look carefully, you will see what is, for all intents and purposes, a shrine dedicated to him. 

   I was there several years ago, grabbing a bite, when I noticed the small, tastefully arranged collection of military related items attached to the wall. Out of curiosity, I approached Nick Hogan, who at the time was the diner’s owner, and he explained that Dennis Hogan, Jr. was his uncle who was killed during WWII while fighting in the Philippines. Somehow, Dennis’ remains, which were originally recovered, were then misplaced. Since then, his family has been trying to have his remains located and brought home.         

   This poignant expression of familial devotion stuck with me; recently I became determined to delve further into Pfc. Hogan’s story.

   Known affectionately as Juny, Private First-Class Dennis Hogan, Jr., one of 15 children of Dennis, Sr. and Katherine Hogan, was born and raised in Piermont where his father was the town mayor for many years. Dennis enlisted in the Army on May 5,1942 (together with his 18-year-old brother John L. who would one day become the beloved mayor of Northvale, NJ), and after completing rigorous and advanced training, qualified as an elite paratrooper. Four other Hogan brothers also served in the military during WWII. 

   As a member of Company E of the 511th Paratrooper Infantry Regiment of the 11th Airborne Division, he was one of General Douglas MacArthur’s troops who, after landing in the Philippines on Oct. 20, 1944, fought to liberate the islands from the Japanese, fulfilling MacArthur’s promise, “I Shall Return”. A fellow  member of the 511th was Tech Sgt Rod Serling, of “The Twilight Zone” fame.)  

   The soldiers of the Japanese Imperial Army were fearless. That is to say, they feared the extreme dishonor of surrender more than they feared death itself. The first hurdle for MacArthur was to defeat them on the island of Leyte.  Fighting under horrendous conditions during the rainy season, and even during typhoons, the Americans, with the men of the 511th functioning as the ‘tip of the spear’ of the attacking force, finally proved victorious.  

   After the conquest of Leyte, the 511th, moved on to Luzon, the country’s largest island and where Manila, the nation’s capital and its economic and population center, is located.

   On Luzon, the fighting between the American and Japanese armies was no-holds-barred fierce.  Pfc. Hogan’s Company E made a parachute drop to get behind enemy lines and then moved forward to take part in the battle to liberate Manila.  Sadly, the Japanese, facing almost certain defeat, were driven mad with bloodlust. It is estimated that as many as 100,000 Filipino non-combatants were senselessly and brutally slaughtered during the Battle of Manila. Once the city fell to the Americans, the 511th continued battling pockets of enemy resistance in surrounding regions. 

In a letter to his family, as reported in a local newspaper on April 9, 1945, Dennis wrote: “I guess you have been notified about my being wounded.  It isn’t anything to worry about… I was hit in my right hand by shrapnel and stayed at the front… It got infected, and in a few days, I had blood poisoning, so had to have it cut.” 

He also described how he rescued a wounded company member by racing out 100 yards under heavy enemy fire and then administering first aid. While he was helping him, the man was wounded again in the chest. Finally, the medics were able to move the man to safety. For Dennis, it was nothing to brag about. Afterall, that’s what paratroopers are trained and expected to do.

   Further on in the letter, he wrote about being pointman on patrols for 6 days, a job designed to draw enemy fire. “Once a Jap bullet went through my pants leg but didn’t even scratch my leg.” What he left out is that on another occasion he spotted a Japanese machine-gun nest which he, on his own initiative, single-handedly wiped out. His actions made it possible for his platoon to take control of a strategically vital bridge without incurring heavy casualties. In recognition of his bravery, Dennis was awarded the Silver Star. He also earned two Bronze Stars for other heroic acts.

   On April 22, 1945, Dennis’ luck ran out. During heavy fighting near the town of Lipa, in Batangas Province, Pfc. Hogan, exposing himself to enemy fire, courageously ran out to rescue a wounded sergeant. Upon reaching the man he began to extricate him, when both were suddenly cut down and killed by a machine gun blast. Pfc. Hogan was only 23 years old. He was one of 11 Piermont men killed during the war.

   As soon as the battle subsided, his body was identified, and his personal effects were recovered.  However, during the chaos of combat, an unfortunate mix-up occurred, and his body was misplaced and lost by the army. Since then, extensive efforts have been made to locate him, but to no avail.

   I recently spoke again with Nick, a post-war baby-boomer who never had the opportunity to meet his uncle Dennis. Since our original conversation, he sold his business and is now retired and living in Florida. He explained why he was so dedicated in continuing his family’s mission to find Dennis, Jr. and bring him back home. Nick’s father, George Hogan, who was four years younger than Dennis and was also a WWII combat veteran, had in his dying breath said, “I now have enough money to bring him home.” Nick vowed to carry on the quest for his uncle but, at the same time, realized that money alone won’t find and identify him. For that, he would have to work through the system.   

   The US Government’s Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) assumes the responsibility to locate and identify those members of the military lost in foreign conflicts. It is a difficult, complicated, and often thankless task. For one thing, there are still over 80,000 service-members who have not yet been accounted for. But now, due to the use of advanced DNA matching techniques, a small, but steady stream of these lost and unknown men and women are being identified and brought home.  Yet, the task remains daunting.

   When I was in Manila last month to give a presentation at an International Conference on WWII in the Philippines, I bumped into an acquaintance, Dr. Gregory Krupsky, a researcher for DPAA. I began to ask if he is familiar with a case involving a 511th paratrooper whose body was originally identified but subsequently lost by the army, and whose family has been doggedly searching for him. But before I had a chance to even say the soldier’s name, Dr. Krupsky confidently said, “You must be asking about Dennis Hogan, Jr.”  At that point, my jaw dropped about 3 feet. Gathering my composure, I answered in the affirmative, while wondering whether the man reads minds. Dr. Krupsky explained that the Hogan family is well known in his department due to their persistence and dedication in the search for Dennis, Jr. In addition, several years ago, the Hogan family turned to a fellow by the name of Larry Lenahan, who has selflessly dedicated himself to “bringing Dennis, Jr. home” and who, as such, is frequently in contact with DPAA. Greg told me that his department has far from given up in the quest to find Pfc. Hogan, and added, “I think we are getting close.”

   About two years ago, Heydi Umana, a long-time employee at Hogan’s, bought the diner from Nick. Heydi, a native of El Salvador, has continued to devotedly exhibit Dennis, Jr.’s shrine.  In fact, she has taken all the related items – his combat awards and badges, several photos of him, his 11th Airborne khaki Glider Infantry cap, and other items related to his service  — from the back of the diner, with the intention of placing the shrine in a more conspicuous spot, so that, as she said, “everyone that passes-by will see it.”   

   Thanks to people like Nick, Larry Lenahan, Heydi and the professionals at DPAA, the famous quote by the 19th century British author, George Eliot, “Our dead are never dead, as long as they are not forgotten” rings true. It can be said that through their dedication and tireless efforts, Pfc. Dennis Hogan, Jr. lives on!