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Thomas James Haugh
WW II War Hero Dies
Thomas J. Haugh 87, died March 10, 2005 in the Winchester Hospital after a long illness. Mr. Haugh was born in East Boston and raised in Winthrop. He was educated in the Winthrop School system and was a graduate with the Class of 1937. After high school he worked as an auto mechanic and would pitch batting practice for the Boston Braves. When World War II broke out he enlisted with the US Army in March of 1941 and served as a Technician Fourth Class with the Medical Detachment 101st. Infantry Regiment. Mr. Haugh saw action in Northern France, Rhineland, Ardennes, and Central Europe and participated in the Battle of Bulge. He received the Good Conduct Medal, American Defense Service Medal, the European African Middle Eastern Theater Campaign Ribbon. On August 1, 1945 he received the Bronze Star and later the Silver Star for his gallantry in action in several battles in the vicinity of Moyenvic, France. On November 9, 1944, a friendly rifle company and its supporting machine gun platoon of Company D, 101 Infantry were subjected to heavy hostile fire and powerful concentration of enemy fire. While thus engaged, he was hurled to the ground on several occasions by the concussion of shells falling all around him but, persisted in his efforts while subjected to heavy machine gun and 88mm gun fire. Although exposed to the hostile fire, Technician Fourth Grade Haugh, then a Technician Fifth Grade and an aid man impacted the area and gave effective first aid treatment to the wounded of his own platoon and in addition, rendered medical aid to the casualties of the supported rifle company. For six consecutive hours under the continuous hostile shellfire, he moved among the wounded, organized litter-bearer groups and directed the speedy evacuation of casualties to an aid station. His unusual courage under fire, strong initiative and commendable solicitude for the wounded reflect the highest credit upon Technician Fourth Grade Haugh and the armed forces of the United States. Tom refused two purple hearts because he didn’t feel that his wounds were as severe as the other soldiers. Mr. Haugh was later discharged on October 23, 1945. In 1949 Tom married Mary Louise Collins in St. Patrick’s Church, in Lawrence and would later settle in Stoneham, and later moved to Andover. Fifty two years after the war was over, the Andover Veterans Agent, John C. Doherty was instrumental in getting Tom’s long over due bronze and silver medals awarded him at a town ceremony in Andover. Mr. Haugh was employed at the Federal Reserve Bank in Boston as a security guard and later went to the Coyne Electrical School and became a master electrician. He later became the head electrician for the bank. In 1970 after surviving a devastating gas explosion at his home that burned over fifty percent of his body, he was still able to rescue his wife from an upstairs bedroom. They would both escape the fire. Tom would spend many months and later many trips to Boston Hospitals receiving care and later skin graphs and other operations. Tom was a pitching coach working under David Bettencourt, with the varsity baseball team in Andover, a job he truly enjoyed for four years. Tom was an avid Boston Sports fan and said that his life was complete now that the Red Sox won the World Series. He enjoyed golfing in the morning with the men’s league at the Unicorn Golf Course in Stoneham, also adding two holes in one’s in his career. Mr. Haugh was a former president of the Andover Exchange Club, a longtime communicant of St. Augustine Church in Andover and a volunteer at the Andover Senior Center and a member of the Disabled American Veterans Association of Andover. Tom is survived by his wife Marylou (Collins) Haugh and three sons, Jim H. Haugh and his wife Patricia, Robert C. Haugh and his wife Marie all of Andover and John C. Haugh and his wife Marie of Groveland. Tom was the cherished grandfather of Tommy, Michael, Danny, Kaitlin, Colleen, Kerry, Emily, and Brian Haugh. Tom was preceded in death by his son, Thomas R. Haugh and his parents John & Catherine (Tarmey) Haugh and his sisters Mae Haugh formerly of Winthrop, Helen Driscoll formerly of Stoneham and his brother John Haugh formerly of Centerville. Friends and relatives are invited to visiting hours at the Dewhurst-Conte Funeral Home, 280 Florence St., Andover on Sunday, March 13th. from 4-8PM. In lieu of flowers contributions in Tom’s memory may be made to St. Augustine Church, Community Building Fund, 43 Essex St. Andover, MA 01810. Funeral from the Dewhurst - Conte Funeral Home, 280 Florence St., Andover, on Monday, March 14th. at 9:30AM followed by a Mass of Christian Burial in St. Augustine Church, 43 Essex St., Andover at 10:30AM. Interment to follow in Lindenwood Cemetery, Stoneham. Funeral arrangement were under the care & direction of the Weir-Mac Cuish Golden Rule Funeral Home , 144 Salem St., Malden.
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