NAME: Charles E. Hosking
ASN: 32919642
PLACE OF BIRTH: Ramsey, N.J.
DATE OF BIRTH: 12 May 1924
DATES OF SERVICE:
UNIT ASSIGNED: B CO 509th PIB
CAMPAIGNS: Rome-Arno, Southern France, Ardennes-Alsace
AWARDS: Medal of Honor (Army), Purple Heart Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster, Bronze Star Medal for Valor/with Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster, Army Commendation Medal, Good Conduct Medal withOne Silver Knot, European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with Arrowhead and two Bronze Service Stars, World War II Victory Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Service Medal with three Bronze Service Stars, Army Presidential Unit Citation with two Bronze Oak Leaf Clusters, Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal, Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation, Combat Infantryman Badge (2nd Award), Master Parachutist Badge, Vietnam Airborne Wings
SUMMARY OF SERVICE:
Served with the Airborne Training Center, Italy during WWII
Pfc. Charles E. Hosking assigned to B CO 509th PIB
Southern France page 110 Book: First Airborne Task Force by Michel De Trez
509th Parachute Infantry Battalion during the Battle of the Bulge
05 Nov 1945 - Reenlisted in the Army at Fort Benning, GA - NARA Enlistment Record
| ARMY SERIAL NUMBER | 32919642 | 32919642 |
| NAME | HOSKING#CHARLES#E#JR#### | HOSKING#CHARLES#E#JR#### |
| RESIDENCE: STATE | 22 | NEW JERSEY |
| RESIDENCE: COUNTY | 003 | BERGEN |
| PLACE OF ENLISTMENT | 4341 | FT BENNING GEORGIA |
| DATE OF ENLISTMENT DAY | 05 | 05 |
| DATE OF ENLISTMENT MONTH | 11 | 11 |
| DATE OF ENLISTMENT YEAR | 45 | 45 |
| GRADE: ALPHA DESIGNATION | PFC# | Private First Class |
| GRADE: CODE | 7 | Private First Class |
| BRANCH: ALPHA DESIGNATION | AC# | Air Corps |
| BRANCH: CODE | 20 | Air Corps |
| FIELD USE AS DESIRED | # | # |
| TERM OF ENLISTMENT | 3 | Enlistment for Hawaiian Department |
| LONGEVITY | ### | ### |
| SOURCE OF ARMY PERSONNEL | 6 | Enlisted Man, Philippine Scout or recall to AD of an enlisted man who had been transferred to the ERC |
| NATIVITY | 22 | NEW JERSEY |
| YEAR OF BIRTH | 24 | 24 |
| RACE AND CITIZENSHIP | 1 | White, citizen |
| EDUCATION | 4 | 4 years of high school |
| CIVILIAN OCCUPATION | 480 | Tinsmiths, coppersmiths, and sheet metal workers |
| MARITAL STATUS | 6 | Single, without dependents |
| COMPONENT OF THE ARMY | 1 | Regular Army (including Officers, Nurses, Warrant Officers, and Enlisted Men) |
| CARD NUMBER | 1 | 1 |
| BOX NUMBER | 0584 | 0584 |
| FILM REEL NUMBER | 2.248 | 2.248 |
He was an instructor at the Parachute Training School at Fort Benning.
He then served with the 503rd AIR at Fort Campbell, KY
He was one of the original volunteers for 10th SFG(A) in 1952 and served with the unit at Bad Toelz, Germany
Attended Jumpmaster Course
Attended American Army Intelligence and Language School
Performed three tours in Vietnam. He first served as an advisor for six months in 1963, then 1965-1966, and then 1967
MEDAL OF HONOR CITATION:
Master Sergeant Charles Ernest Hosking, Jr.
21 March 1967
U.S. Army
Company A, 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne), 1st Special Forces.
Phuoc Long Province, Republic of Vietnam, .
Entered service at: Fort Dix, N.J.
Born: 12 May 1924, Ramsey, N.J.
Citation:
MASTER SERGEANT CHARLES E. HOSKING, JR., UNITED STATES ARMY, Detachment A-302, Company A, 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne), 1st Special Forces, then sergeant first class, distinguished himself on 21 March 1967, as a company advisor in the Civilian Irregular Defense Group Reaction Battalion during combat operations in Phuoc Long Province, Republic of Vietnam. A Viet Cong suspect was apprehended and subsequently identified as a Viet Cong sniper. While Sergeant Hosking was preparing the prisoner for movement back to the base camp, he suddenly grabbed a grenade from Sergeant Hoskings belt, armed the grenade and started running toward the command group. With utter disregard for his own personal safety, Sergeant Hosking grasped the Viet Cong in a bear hug, forced the grenade against the enemys chest, and wrestled the prisoner to the ground. Covering the snipers body with his own until the grenade detonated, Sergeant Hosking was killed. By absorbing the force of the exploding grenade with his body and that of the enemy, he saved the other members of his command from death or serious injury.
Hosking Way, a road off of Darlington Avenue in Ramsey, is named in his honor
Hosking Field House: Fort Bragg, NC is named in his honor
Burial: Valleau Cemetery Ridgewood, Bergen County, New Jersey, USA
Gail Gilberg, daughter of Charles E. Hosking has written a book called Snake's Daughter: the Roads in and out of War Published by University of Iowa Press, 1997. It is filled with pages of photos and mentions his service in the 509th PIB
Photo taken after graduation from Parachute School
(ALL IMAGES AND INFORMATION ON THIS PAGE IS PROPERTY OF THE HOSKING FAMILY AND MAY NOT BE USED WITHOUT PERMISSION. PLEASE CONTACT THE WEBMASTER AT THE E-MAIL BELOW)
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