On June 6, 1944, as dawn broke over the English Channel, 22-year-old Jack Hamlin (Drury) tied a rope around his waist, steadied himself on the deck of an 83-foot Coast Guard cutter, and leapt into icy waters churned by bullets and blood. His mission was simple, yet harrowing: rescue as many Allied soldiers as possible from drowning, shock, or wounds sustained in the largest amphibious assault in history. That day, forever etched into the annals of world history as D-Day, became the defining moment of Hamlin’s extraordinary life of courage, resilience, and service.
Early Life in the Ozarks
Born on October 15, 1921, in Springfield, Missouri, Hamlin grew up in a family where the law was more than a profession—it was a tradition. His father, grandfather, and numerous uncles all practiced law. Yet, while legal precedent surrounded him, Hamlin found his first passion not in the courtroom but on the baseball diamond.
Like many young boys of the Depression-era Midwest, Hamlin idolized the greats of America’s pastime. He played multiple sports in high school, excelling at football and basketball, but it was baseball that captured his heart. His athleticism and versatility earned him attention beyond Springfield. In 1939, just after graduation, he was offered a spot with the Joplin Miners, a minor league affiliate of the New York Yankees. Though his stint was brief and interrupted by illness, he demonstrated both skill and determination.
Shortly after joining the Miners, Hamlin contracted rheumatic fever, which led to months of hospitalization and left him with an enlarged heart. The setback temporarily derailed his hopes for a professional baseball career but did not diminish his competitive spirit. He soon returned to the field, playing in the Ban Johnson League, an amateur circuit known for producing future stars. His dreams of the major leagues remained alive, but world events soon intervened.
A Call to Duty
When Japan attacked Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, Hamlin was among the millions of young Americans compelled to enlist. He first attempted to join the Naval Air Corps but was rejected due to his heart condition. The Marine Corps also turned him away, even as four of his friends from Springfield were accepted; only three of them would survive the war.
Not willing to remain on the sidelines, Hamlin eventually found an opening with the United States Coast Guard. In February 1942, at just 20 years old, he enlisted. Initially, he believed his service would be confined to domestic waters, guarding American shores. Instead, he would find himself at the center of one of the most consequential battles in history.
Training and Early Assignments
Hamlin began his Coast Guard career at Training Center Algiers in New Orleans. His aptitude quickly led to assignment at Manhattan Beach Training Station in New York, where he trained as a Boatswain’s Mate. From there he was stationed in Newport, Rhode Island, commanding small patrol boats in support of the Naval Air Station. These early assignments included rescue operations for downed aviators, giving him his first exposure to the life-or-death urgency of search-and-rescue work.
In 1943, Hamlin was assigned to the cutter CG-83408, part of the 83-foot wooden-hulled fleet the Coast Guard operated along the Eastern Seaboard. By 1944, his cutter was reassigned to “Rescue Flotilla One,” a unit specifically created to support the Allied invasion of Europe. Known as the “Matchbox Fleet” because of their vulnerable wood construction and gasoline engines, these cutters were tasked with a perilous responsibility: pulling stranded and wounded soldiers from the waters during amphibious landings.
Into the Storm: D-Day
In the early morning hours of June 6, 1944, Hamlin and his shipmates left Poole, England, and crossed the English Channel as part of the massive Allied invasion of Normandy. More than 5,000 ships filled the horizon. The flotilla’s cutters were small in comparison, but their mission was critical.
As the invasion began, Hamlin’s cutter was positioned off Omaha Beach, the bloodiest of the five landing zones. The plan was simple but daunting: swimmers, tethered to the cutter by ropes, would jump into the surf and rescue any soldiers still alive in the water. Hamlin was one of those swimmers.
The conditions were unimaginable. Wounded men flailed in the surf, weighed down by equipment, bleeding, or in shock. Many were already dead. Hamlin and his crew had to make split-second decisions, choosing those with a chance of survival and pulling them to safety. Over the course of the day, Hamlin’s cutter alone saved approximately 70 men. Collectively, Rescue Flotilla One pulled nearly 500 soldiers from the water.
The chaos of D-Day left indelible marks on all who served. Hamlin carried with him memories of the soldiers he could not reach, the moments when life and death were separated by mere seconds. Yet his bravery and the actions of the flotilla proved essential to the success of the invasion.
The Léopoldville Disaster
Six months later, Hamlin once again found himself at the heart of tragedy. On Christmas Eve 1944, the Belgian troopship SS Léopoldville, carrying more than 2,200 American soldiers, was torpedoed by a German submarine just miles off Cherbourg, France.
Hamlin’s cutter was among the first responders. The scene was catastrophic: soldiers trapped below decks, lifeboats mishandled, men leaping into freezing water without life jackets. Communication breakdowns and panic compounded the disaster. Nearly 800 soldiers perished that night, many succumbing to hypothermia in the frigid waters of the English Channel.
Hamlin and his crew worked through the chaos to save as many men as possible, ultimately rescuing dozens. Yet the memories of those lost haunted him for the rest of his life.
Returning Home
After the war, Hamlin declined a promotion to Chief Boatswain and chose to return home in 1946. He briefly attended Cumberland University, where he played football, before enrolling at the University of Missouri School of Law. Continuing the family tradition, he earned his law degree, though he never passed the bar examination. Instead, he entered politics and was elected to the Missouri House of Representatives at the age of 30.
Eventually, Hamlin shifted his focus to the business world, founding an independent insurance agency in 1952. He successfully ran the business for more than four decades before joining an established firm in Springfield. His leadership extended beyond his profession into civic life. He served on the Springfield Park Board, chaired athletic committees, and contributed to local and national softball organizations.
Baseball and Brotherhood
Baseball remained a constant throughout Hamlin’s life. After returning from the war, he played with the Springfield Generals, a semi-pro team that reached the national championship in 1947. He played alongside future greats like Whitey Herzog and Jerry Lumpe, proof of his enduring talent and love for the game.
It was also through baseball that he met his wife, Virginia, affectionately known as “Sis.” The couple married and shared more than 60 years together, raising three children and welcoming six grandchildren and a great-grandchild.
Hamlin’s commitment to brotherhood also extended to Sigma Nu. As a member of the Legion of Honor, he exemplified the fraternity’s principles through his service, career, and community involvement. For his brothers, he was both a peer and a living example of what it meant to lead with integrity.
A Reluctant Hero
For decades after the war, Hamlin spoke little of his experiences. Like many veterans of his generation, he returned home determined to move forward, not look back. It was not until the 50th anniversary of D-Day in 1994 that he revisited Normandy, joining 75 fellow veterans in commemorations that included an audience with Queen Elizabeth II.
From that point forward, Hamlin dedicated himself to sharing his story, particularly with younger generations. He traveled to Normandy several more times, receiving the gratitude of the French people who remembered the liberation. In 2014, he was awarded the French Legion of Honor.
Hamlin also reconnected with history in more personal ways. On one return trip, he met a German veteran who had once fired on Allied troops during D-Day. The two, once enemies, became friends. His later years included adventurous milestones, such as a skydiving jump at age 95 after being named an honorary member of the 506th Airborne, the famed “Band of Brothers.”
In 2016, the Coast Guard corrected a wartime oversight, retroactively promoting Hamlin to Chief Boatswain’s Mate. The ceremony honored his service and cemented his place in Coast Guard history.
A Legacy of Honor
When Hamlin passed away in 2024, he was recognized not only as a hero of Normandy and the Léopoldville rescue but also as a devoted husband, father, public servant, and community leader. His hometown of Springfield, Missouri, honored him with a day of remembrance alongside fellow veteran Ralph Manley, ensuring that future generations would know the sacrifices made by local heroes.
Historians note that Hamlin may have been the last surviving professional athlete to have served at Normandy. More importantly, he was one of the dwindling number of veterans whose lives spanned from the Great Depression to the modern era, carrying with them lessons of resilience, sacrifice, and humility.
For Sigma Nu, Hamlin stands as an enduring example of the fraternity’s vision: a life lived excelling with honor. His courage at Normandy, his leadership in Missouri, and his commitment to family and fraternity reflect a legacy that will remain timeless.