Portrait of James F. Hackett in uniform
A World War II Service Record

James F. Hackett

First Lieutenant · Company E, 13th Infantry Regiment, 8th Infantry Division
Army · Service no. 32 084 166
Enlisted service number
32 084 166
Rank in 1945 citation
First Lieutenant
Officer service number
O-2003356
Unit in 1945 citation
Company E, 13th Infantry Regiment, 8th Infantry Division
Theater
European Theater of Operations (ETO)
This timeline reconstructs James's World War II service from his enlistment record and the Morning Reports, orders and unit records held by the National Archives, searched by his enlisted and officer service numbers. Each entry cites its source. Division history provides context; it does not establish his presence at every location. His separation date and personal campaign credits remain unknown.

Map of Service

Places supported by the records cited below. The Germany marker represents the country, not a documented town. Travel routes and dates between these places remain unknown.

Map of James F. Hackett's documented WWII service locations

Service stops

  1. New York Cityinducted 2 Apr 1941; Bronx residence
  2. Fort Dix, N.J.1229th Reception Center, Apr 1941
  3. Fort Jackson, S.C.8th Division transfer destination, 5 Apr 1941
  4. Camp Forrest, Tenn.13th Infantry, 1943
  5. Germany (approximate)country only; cited service 14 Apr-7 May 1945
First time here?

How to read this service timeline

This page brings together records created for different purposes. The labels below tell you what kind of evidence supports each entry; open either guide when a record or military term is unfamiliar.

Confirmed — Service record

A personal military record supports the entry.

Confirmed — Unit record

A record created by his unit names him or documents the unit’s activity.

Context

Helpful background, clearly separated from personal evidence.

Newly discovered

Information recovered during this research, rather than supplied at the start.

How to read a Morning Report

Morning Reports were daily administrative records prepared by individual Army and Army Air Forces units. They generally recorded changes—such as arrivals, transfers, promotions, illness, or return to duty—not a complete list of everyone present.

MORNING REPORT · SAMPLE
1Organization
Company A, 123rd Infantry
2Station or location
Camp Example, Virginia
3Date
14 September 1944
4Section
Personnel changes
5Pvt Smith, John A., 35123456
6asgd fr Hq Co per SO 187, Hq 123d Inf
In plain English Private John A. Smith, identified by Army Serial Number 35123456, was assigned to Company A from Headquarters Company under Special Orders No. 187.
  1. 1Organization: the company, hospital, squadron, or other unit filing the report.
  2. 2Station or location: where that unit reported from on that date.
  3. 3Report date: the date of the report, which may differ from the effective date of a change.
  4. 4Section: the part of the form containing personnel changes or the unit’s record of events.
  5. 5Soldier entry: usually rank, name, and Army Serial Number.
  6. 6Change and authority: what happened and the order authorizing it.
asgd
assigned
atchd
attached
trfd
transferred
fr
from
aptd
appointed
EM
enlisted men
SO
Special Orders
GO
General Orders
orgn
organization
sta
station
Common military and research terms
Army Serial Number (ASN)
The unique service number used to distinguish one soldier from others with similar names.
Discharge or separation paper
The document issued when a service member left active service. For many WWII Army enlisted soldiers, this is WD AGO Form 53-55. It summarizes service but is not a day-by-day history.
Morning Report
An Army unit’s daily administrative report. It usually lists people whose status changed, not every person in the unit.
Unit record
A document created by a military organization. It may name the soldier directly or provide context about his unit; the timeline states which applies.
OMPF or “201 file”
The service member’s Official Military Personnel File. Many Army and Air Force files were damaged or destroyed in the 1973 National Personnel Records Center fire.
Unit and final unit
A unit is the organization in which someone served. The final unit is the organization shown at separation; it may not be the only unit in the service history.
Rank or grade
The service member’s level in the military hierarchy. A timeline may show changes in rank over time.
MOS
Military Occupational Specialty—the Army’s classification for a soldier’s primary military job.
Assigned and attached
Assigned means formally placed in a unit. Attached usually means serving with a unit temporarily while belonging administratively elsewhere.
Special Orders and General Orders
Official directives used to authorize personnel actions, awards, organizational changes, and other decisions.
Campaign credit
Official recognition for service connected with a named campaign. It does not, by itself, describe a service member’s individual actions.
Station or location
The place from which a unit filed a report. It does not automatically prove that every member was physically present there.
Source citation
The note beneath a timeline entry identifying the record or records that support it.

Service Timeline

8 min
Confirmed — Record
October 26, 1912

James F. Hackett is born

James was born on October 26, 1912. His exact birthplace remains unknown. The Army records use James F. Hackett; the family supplied the middle name Francis.
Source: Headstone, Find A Grave memorial #2693791; Long Island National Cemetery, section 2W, grave 3855; family intake TY-260816-KCZO, 16 August 2026 (middle-name expansion only)
Confirmed — Service record
April 2, 1941

Drafted into the Army

James entered the Army at New York City on April 2, 1941, aged 28. His enlistment index entry identifies him as a selectee from civil life, with Bronx County residence and enlisted serial number 32084166. It records three years of high school, general office clerk, and single with dependents.
Source: NARA AAD, WWII Army Enlistment Records, record 2753046 (serial 32084166)
Confirmed — Unit record
April 2, 1941

Received at the 1229th Reception Center

Company I, 2nd Receiving Battalion, lists James F. Hackett, 32084166, among the men received from Induction Station B, Manhattan. The same day's reception-center papers identify Fort Dix, New Jersey.
scanned record
Image 389: Hackett and his exact enlisted serial number, right column. The yellow is ours — it marks his name and service number on the sheet.
scanned record
Image 387: the dated receiving-list header; Hackett is named on image 389 above.
Source: Morning Report, roll 2854, images 385, 387 and 389 (NAID 442051071), 2 April 1941
Confirmed — Unit record
April 5, 1941

Transferred to the 8th Division at Fort Jackson

Company I, 2nd Receiving Battalion, 1229th Reception Center, records James F. Hackett, 32084166, among the men transferred to the 8th Division at Fort Jackson, South Carolina. The entry is dated April 5 and cites Special Order No. 78, paragraph 1, dated April 3. It does not identify his receiving regiment or company, or separately record his arrival date.
scanned record
Image 396: transfer date and destination at the top; Hackett and serial 32084166 near the bottom of the right column. The yellow is ours — it marks his name and service number on the sheet.
Source: Morning Report enclosure 13, Company I, 2nd Receiving Battalion, 1229th Reception Center, 5 April 1941; roll 2854, image 396 (NAID 442051071)
Confirmed — Unit record
September 2, 1943

Staff sergeant granted twelve days of furlough

Headquarters Company, 2nd Battalion, 13th Infantry, at Camp Forrest, Tennessee, records Staff Sergeant Hackett changing from duty to twelve days of furlough. The entry gives no destination for his leave.
scanned record
Hackett's entry is the first personnel change. The yellow is ours — it marks his name and service number on the sheet.
Source: Morning Report, roll 186, image 1718 (NAID 449852278; duplicate NARA catalog record NAID 449856095), 2 September 1943
Confirmed — Unit record
September 14, 1943

Returned from furlough

The same headquarters company records his return to duty after twelve days away. He still holds the rank of staff sergeant.
scanned record
His line records furlough to duty; the hospital entry below concerns another soldier. The yellow is ours — it marks his name and service number on the sheet.
Source: Morning Report, roll 186, image 1732 (NAID 449852278; duplicate NARA catalog record NAID 449856095), 14 September 1943
Confirmed — Unit record
October 21, 1943

Promoted to first sergeant

The October 22 report records Hackett's promotion to first sergeant, effective October 21. He served in Headquarters Company, 2nd Battalion, 13th Infantry, at Camp Forrest.
scanned record
His promotion appears at the top; the lieutenant appointment below concerns William Pendleton. The yellow is ours — it marks his name and service number on the sheet.
Source: Morning Report, roll 189 [Copy 2], image 495 (NAID 452653231), 22 October 1943; effective date 21 October
Context
November 22-24, 1943

The company moved to Camp Kilmer

Headquarters Company, 2nd Battalion, 13th Infantry, reported leaving Camp Forrest, Tennessee, by rail late on November 22 and arriving at Camp Kilmer, New Jersey, on November 24. The November 26 report records the move retrospectively. It does not name Hackett, so this establishes the company's movement rather than his individual travel dates.
scanned record
Image 1659: the Record of Events gives the company's November 22 departure and November 24 arrival.
Source: Morning Report, HQ Company, 2nd Battalion, 13th Infantry, 26 November 1943, page 1 of 2; roll 442, image 1659 (NAID 456384802)
Context
December 5, 1943

The headquarters company sailed aboard USAT Excelsior

Headquarters Company, 2nd Battalion, 13th Infantry, reported leaving Camp Kilmer, New Jersey, by rail on December 4 and boarding USAT Excelsior at Pier 20, Staten Island, early December 5. The ship sailed for Northern Ireland that day. This records the company's movement. Hackett is not named on this report, so it does not establish his personal passage.
scanned record
Image 243: the company's embarkation and sailing record; no individual Hackett entry.
Source: Morning Report, HQ Company, 2nd Battalion, 13th Infantry, 5 December 1943; roll 716, image 243 (NAID 460046085)
Context
December 16, 1943

The company arrived in Northern Ireland

The company's report records docking at Belfast and disembarking from Excelsior on December 16. The men traveled by rail to Enniskillen and by truck to Ely Lodge that night. These are documented company movements; Hackett's individual arrival remains unconfirmed.
scanned record
Image 254: company arrival and onward travel, without a named Hackett entry.
Source: Morning Report, HQ Company, 2nd Battalion, 13th Infantry, 16 December 1943; roll 716, image 254 (NAID 460046085)
Context
July 1944

The division entered the Normandy campaign

The division landed at Utah Beach on July 4 and entered combat in early July. The July 4 reports for Headquarters Company, 2nd Battalion, and Company E, 13th Infantry, both record disembarking at Utah Beach at 12:45 p.m. Neither names Hackett or the transport. The combat chronicle gives July 7; a separate divisional table gives July 8 for the entire division. Neither establishes Hackett's landing date or personal campaign credit.
Source: Morning Reports, HQ Company, 2nd Battalion, and Company E, 13th Infantry, 4 July 1944, page 1 of 1 each; roll 520, images 281 and 525 (NAID 480585485): https://catalog.archives.gov/id/480585485 ; combat chronicle: https://www.lonesentry.com/usdivisions/history/infantry/division/8th_infantry_division.html ; divisional table: https://www.unithistories.com/units/8th%20Inf.Div.php
Confirmed — Service record
July 23, 1944

Expert Infantry Badge recorded in General Orders

General Orders No. 10 awards the Expert Infantry Badge to the listed enlisted men. Its Headquarters Company, 2nd Battalion, roster includes First Sergeant James F. Hackett, 32084166. July 23 is the order date; the order does not give his qualification-test date.
scanned record
Image 121, printed page 9: Hackett appears at lower left under HQ CO 2ND BN. The yellow is ours — it marks his name and service number on the sheet.
scanned record
Image 113: order number, date and Expert Infantry Badge authority; Hackett is named on image 121 above.
Source: HQ 13th Infantry, General Orders No. 10, 23 July 1944, pp. 1 and 9; NAID 467290128, images 113 and 121
Confirmed — Service record
September 1, 1944

Combat Infantryman Badge recorded in General Orders

General Orders No. 16 awards the Combat Infantryman Badge. The roster includes First Sergeant James F. Hackett, 32084166, of the 13th Infantry. The scan's damaged company heading cannot be read confidently. The order does not date his first combat action.
scanned record
Image 152, stamped page 6349: Hackett's name and enlisted serial, upper left column.
scanned record
Image 149: dated Combat Infantryman Badge order header; Hackett is named on image 152 above.
Source: HQ 13th Infantry, General Orders No. 16, 1 September 1944; NAID 467290128, images 149-153, stamped pages 6346-6350; Hackett on image 152
Context
November 1944 - May 1945

The division fought through Germany

The division fought in the Hürtgen Forest, crossed the Roer, and later operated in the Ruhr and beyond the Elbe. His award citation confirms service in Germany during April-May 1945; it does not place him in each of these battles or towns.
Source: 8th Infantry Division combat chronicle, reproduced by Lone Sentry
Confirmed — Service record
April 14 - May 7, 1945

Platoon leader in Company E, Germany

His later Bronze Star citation credits meritorious service as a platoon leader in military operations in Germany during this period. It identifies him as First Lieutenant James F. Hackett, O-2003356, Company E, 13th Infantry. We have not found his commissioning or lieutenant-promotion orders; the dates of those appointments remain unknown.
scanned record
Image 102, printed page 4: his citation is the first paragraph. The yellow is ours — it marks his name and service number on the sheet.
Source: HQ 8th Infantry Division, General Orders No. 224, 15 October 1945, Section III, pp. 3-4; NAID 417221549, images 101-102
Confirmed — Service record
October 15, 1945

Bronze Star Medal awarded

Headquarters, 8th Infantry Division, issued General Orders No. 224 awarding Hackett the Bronze Star Medal for the service described above. The headquarters issued the order at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri. That heading does not establish his location, return date or separation date.
scanned record
Image 101, printed page 3: Section III identifies the Bronze Star Medal and the order date.
Source: HQ 8th Infantry Division, General Orders No. 224, 15 October 1945, Section III, pp. 3-4; NAID 417221549, images 101-102
Confirmed — Record
1946 publication

Named and pictured in the regimental history

The regimental history's Company E page labels a portrait James F. Hackett, First Lieutenant, and gives his address as 1372 Ogden Avenue, Bronx, New York. Its Bronze Star recommendation list calls him a second lieutenant and marks the recommendation as still pending. Neither entry dates his promotion; the October 15, 1945 general order documents the actual award. The book's publication year does not date the portrait or establish continued service in 1946.
scanned record
PDF page 83: labeled portrait and address on the Company E page. The yellow is ours — it marks his name and service number on the sheet.
scanned record
Printed page 23: lower right, second lieutenant in the pending recommendation list; this is not an award order. The yellow is ours — it marks his name and service number on the sheet.
Source: 13th Infantry Regiment: 8th Infantry Division, a Combat History by Regiments and Special Units (Army and Navy Publishing Company, 1946), printed pp. 23 and 80; PDF pages 26 and 83, Bangor Public Library
Confirmed — Record
April 7, 1967

Died aged 54

His headstone records April 7, 1967. The cemetery register places him in Long Island National Cemetery, section 2W, grave 3855. His burial date and place of death remain unverified.
scanned record
His government headstone at Long Island National Cemetery records his dates, rank, unit and BSM.
Source: Headstone, Find A Grave memorial #2693791; Long Island National Cemetery, section 2W, grave 3855; cemetery-register transcription: https://www.interment.net/data/us/ny/suffolk/national/records-haab-hall.htm