Born in
Wyndmere, North Dakota, Haugen graduated from the
United States Military Academy in 1930. Commissioned into the
Infantry Branch, Haugen had a variety of postings and training. In 1940 he was serving in the
32nd Infantry at
Fort Ord, California when he volunteered for the then new United States
Parachute Troops. Captain Haugen become commander of "A" Company of the
501st Parachute Infantry Battalion. He later became executive officer of the
505th Parachute Infantry Regiment then became the first regimental commander of the 511th Parachute Infantry. Orin Haugen died en route to a hospital on
New Guinea from wounds sustained during the
Battle of Manila, one day before his regiment would rescue POWs under Japanese military control at
Los Baños. {{cite web {{cite web ==See also==