Hash, George Albert, born 15-08-1922, in Marion, Oregon, 
the son of Alvin Hash and his wife Ava, born Griffith, Hash, he was a life-long resident of Oregon. George grew up in Oregon City, competed in the boxing program and graduated high school, then joined the U.S. Army upon the country’s entry into WWII. He served in the elite 101st Airborne, “Screaming Eagles” 
Company “C”, 502nd Parachute Infantry Division 
, in Holland during Operation Market Garden, under command of Major John Stopka.
George met the love of his life, Cornelia Alice Waever while on a pass from Jump School, visiting his sister Rose, where she was a fellow worker at a café in North Carolina. They exchanged letters all during the war, and upon notification that he was killed in action, Alice traveled to Oregon to be with his mother and family. Upon his return to the states and recovering/retraining for the land invasion of Japan, they married 08-07-1945, at the Fort Vancouver Hospital chapel.
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He did not join the landings on the D-day’s, Normandy Invasion, that historic day, as he was into the hospital at the end of May 1944 with dysentery. Recovered from this, he went on to jump into the Holland Invasion.and then on to Germany, Berchtesgaden, 
Hitler’s headquaters, but he was wounded, taken prisoner, in Holland and later to escape and return to Allied Lines and eventually his own outfit.
On 19-09-1944 he ran away with some paratroopers on the Ollandseweg in St Oedenrode 
and they encountered a German patrol, in the ensuing fight he was wounded on his right upper arm and made prisoner of war. Everything was taken from him, except the photo of his girlfriend. In a hospital nearby, he underwent surgery on his arm and was given a silver coin by the surgeon, which he has carried with him all along. From the Netherlands they were transported in cattle trucks to East Germany, close to the Polish border on the Oder. It was a large camp with several divisions for Americans, British, Russians and French. The food was appalling and the treatment anything but friendly. The only encouraging sound was that of flying B-17s. When the Russians advanced through Poland in January 1945, the camp was evacuated. George and a fellow Polish inmate hid under the floor of the barracks and waited the night. The winter was harsh, the river had frozen over, and in the morning they crossed into Polish territory. The Pole stayed there, George moved on towards Russia. On the way he met a Russian doctor who had studied in America, who gave him a letter in Russian and put him on the train to Moscow. Via Odessa and Istanbul he ended up in an American army camp in Egypt.
Following his discharge, George enrolled at Oregon State University, graduating with a teaching degree. In keeping with a promise he made during his time in war, he went on to seminary college, Carson Newman University, 
and was an ordained Baptist minister. He chose Hermiston area as a place to begin his career and raise his family, arriving in 1956, where he taught at Umatilla High School, living in Irrigon and ministering at the Baptist Church there. In 1960 he began teaching at Hermiston High School, teaching in the school district 26 years before retiring, followed by 10 years more as a substitute in the Umatilla County region.In retirement, he moved to Umatilla, where he served in the community as city council member 1989-90, and as mayor 1991-2004. He sat in U.S. Congress, participated in the Oregon Legislature, and partnered up with then-Oregon Senator Gordon Smith and present Senetor Greg Walden to accomplish many contributions and improvements to the Umatilla area. George was honored with the George Hash Park 
for his devote service to his community.George was a craftsman and master carpenter, building many homes and businesses in the region, his summers free from teaching. He loved and was committed to his community, as well as being active in church, the Umatilla Indian Nation, NRA, VFW, 101st Airborne, Coast Guard Auxiliary, and the Gideons Association.
Death and burial ground of Hash, George Albert.
George came to Holland for the Remember September (Eindhoven liberation) festivities and we had a pleasant time with him and his fellows, we correspond for many years.
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George died on 12-04-2019, age 96, peacefully and his family present, in Hermiston, Umatilla County, Oregon, USA and is buried with his wife Alice, who died nine years earlier on 30-09–2010, age 84, at the Willamette National Cemetery, Portland, Multnomah County, Oregon, VS. A Graveside service was be officiated by his brother, Rev. Bill Hash, with military honors at 12:30 P.M. Thursday April 25, 2019 at Willamette National Cemetery in Portland. Survived by his daughter, Georgene, 2 sons, Randy and Dan 13 grandchildren, 13 great-grandchildren, a brother and many nieces and nephews.
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