John Hawk was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for his actions at Chambois, France, August of 1944. After aiding one other soldier in repelling a small group of enemy tanks John Hawk found himself and his unit unable to continue forward without exposing themselves to tank fire.
Without regard for his own life Hawk positioned himself alone between his own tanks and those of the enemy to spot for his artillery operators. His efforts stalled the German advance and he continued to assault the enemy even after becoming wounded by enemy tank fire. His efforts directly contributed to the enemy being cut off from their homeland. Ultimately this resulted in the surrender of over 5,000 German soldiers.
