UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

Form 13F

Form 13F COVER PAGE

Report for the Calendar Year or Quarter Ended: December 31, 2008

Check here if Amendment [ ]; Amendment Number: ______

This Amendment (Check only one.): [ ] is a restatement.
[ ] adds new holdings entries.

Institutional Investment Manager Filing this Report: 

Name: Berkshire Hathaway Inc.
Address: 1440 Kiewit Plaza
 Omaha, NE 68131

Form 13F File Number: 28-4545

The institutional investment manager filing this report and the person by whom it is signed hereby represent that the person signing the report is authorized to submit it, that all information contained herein is true, correct and complete, and that it is understood that all required items, statements, schedules, lists, and tables, are considered integral parts of this form.

Person Signing this Report on Behalf of Reporting Manager:

Name: Marc D. Hamburg
Title: Vice President
Phone: 402-346-1400

Signature, Place, and Date of Signing: 

(s) Marc D. Hamburg Omaha, NE February 16, 2009
------------------------------- -------------------- -----------------------
[Signature] [City, State] [Date]

Report Type (Check only one.):

[ ] 13F HOLDINGS REPORT. (Check here if all holdings of this reporting manager
are reported in this report.)

[ ] 13F NOTICE. (Check here if no holdings reported are in this report, and all
holdings are reported by other reporting manager(s).)

[X] 13F COMBINATION REPORT. (Check here if a portion of the holdings for this
reporting manager are reported in this report and a portion are reported by
other reporting manager(s).)

List of Other Managers Reporting for this Manager: 

Form 13F File Number Name
28-5194 General Re - New England Asset Management, Inc.

 Form 13F SUMMARY PAGE

Report Summary:
Number of Other Included Managers: 21
Form 13F Information Table Entry Total: 108
Form 13F Information Table Value Total: $51,869,961
 (thousands)

List of Other Included Managers:

Provide a numbered list of the name(s) and Form 13F file number(s) of all institutional investment managers with respect to which this report is filed, other than the manager filing this report.

[If there are no entries in this list, state "NONE" and omit the column headings and list entries.] 

NO. FORM 13F FILE NUMBER NAME
--- -------------------- -----
 1. 28-5678 Berkshire Hathaway Life Insurance Co. of Nebraska
 2. 28-10388 BH Columbia Inc.
 3. 28-719 Blue Chip Stamps
 4. 28-554 Buffett, Warren E.
 5. 28-1517 Columbia Insurance Co.
 6. 28-2226 Cornhusker Casualty Co.
 7. 28-06102 Cypress Insurance Company
 8. 28-11217 Fechheimer Brothers Company
 9. 28- GEC Investment Managers
10. 28-852 GEICO Corp.
11. 28-101 Government Employees Ins. Corp.
12. 28- Medical Protective Corp.
13. 28-1066 National Fire & Marine
14. 28-718 National Indemnity Co.
15. 28-5006 National Liability & Fire Ins. Co.
16. 28-11222 Nebraska Furniture Mart
17. 28-717 OBH Inc.
18. 28- U.S. Investment Corp.
19. 28-1357 Wesco Financial Corp.
20. 28-3091 Wesco Financial Ins. Co.
21. 28-3105 Wesco Holdings Midwest, Inc.

BERKSHIRE HATHAWAY INC.
Form 13F Information Table
December 31, 2008 

 Column 6
 Investment
 Discretion Column 8
 Column 4 Column 5 -------------------- Voting Authority
 Column 2 Column 3 Market Shares or (b) (c) --------------------------
 Column 1 Title of CUSIP Value (In Principal (a) Shared- Shared- Column 7 (a) (b) (c)
 Name of Issuer Class Number Thousands) Amount $ Sole Defined Other Other Managers Sole Shared None
--------------- -------- ------------ ----------- ----------- ---- ------- ------- -------------------- ----------- ------ -------
American
 Express Co. Com 025816 10 9 319,531 17,225,400 X 4, 2, 5, 17 17,225,400
 148,300 7,994,634 X 4, 13, 17 7,994,634
 2,230,747 120,255,879 X 4, 14, 17 120,255,879
 36,045 1,943,100 X 4, 3, 17, 19, 20, 21 1,943,100
 25,965 1,399,713 X 4, 16, 17 1,399,713
 15,579 839,832 X 4, 8, 17 839,832
 36,212 1,952,142 X 4, 17 1,952,142
Bank of America
 Corp. Com 060505 10 4 70,400 5,000,000 X 4, 9, 10, 11, 14, 17 5,000,000
Burlington
 Northern
 Santa Fe Com 12189T 10 4 5,306,440 70,089,829 X 4, 14, 17 70,089,829
Carmax Inc. Com 143130 10 2 138,976 17,636,500 X 4, 9, 10, 11, 14, 17 17,636,500
Coca Cola Com 191216 10 0 18,108 400,000 X 4, 17 400,000
 80,400 1,776,000 X 4, 15, 17 1,776,000
 326,198 7,205,600 X 4, 3, 17, 19, 20, 21 7,205,600
 1,817,210 40,141,600 X 4, 2, 5, 17 40,141,600
 6,335,337 139,945,600 X 4, 14, 17 139,945,600
 413,731 9,139,200 X 4, 13, 17 9,139,200
 21,730 480,000 X 4, 16, 17 480,000
 41,286 912,000 X 4, 7, 17 912,000
Comcast Corp CLA SPL 20030N 20 0 193,800 12,000,000 X 4, 9, 10, 11, 14, 17 12,000,000
Comdisco
 Holding Co. Com 200334 10 0 9,502 1,218,199 X 4, 14, 17 1,218,199
 2,363 302,963 X 4, 2, 5, 17 302,963
 134 17,215 X 4, 13, 17 17,215
ConocoPhillips Com 20825C 10 4 3,724,227 71,896,273 X 4, 14, 17 71,896,273
 103,600 2,000,000 X 4, 13, 17 2,000,000
 310,800 6,000,000 X 4, 9, 10, 11, 14, 17 6,000,000
Constellation
 Energy
 Group, Inc. Com 210371 10 0 499,224 19,897,322 X 4 19,897,322
Costco
 Wholesale
 Corp. Com 22160K 10 5 275,835 5,254,000 X 4, 14, 17 5,254,000
Eaton
 Corporation Com 278058 10 2 159,072 3,200,000 X 4, 9, 10, 11, 14, 17 3,200,000
Gannett Inc. Com 364730 10 1 27,581 3,447,600 X 4, 14, 17 3,447,600
General
 Electric Co. Com 369604 10 3 126,002 7,777,900 X 4 7,777,900
GlaxoSmithKline ADR 37733W 10 5 56,296 1,510,500 X 4, 14, 17 1,510,500
Home Depot Inc. Com 437076 10 2 85,174 3,700,000 X 4, 9, 10, 11, 14, 17 3,700,000
Ingersoll-Rd
 Company LTD. CLA G4776G 10 1 11,045 636,600 X 4 636,000
 123,983 7,146,000 X 4, 9, 10, 11, 14, 17 7,146,000
Iron Mountain
 Inc. Com 462846 10 6 83,395 3,372,200 X 4, 9, 10, 11, 14, 17 3,372,200
 -----------
 23,174,228
 -----------

BERKSHIRE HATHAWAY INC.
Form 13F Information Table
December 31, 2008 

 Column 6
 Investment
 Discretion Column 8
 Column 4 Column 5 -------------------- Voting Authority
 Column 2 Column 3 Market Shares or (b) (c) --------------------------
 Column 1 Title of CUSIP Value (In Principal (a) Shared- Shared- Column 7 (a) (b) (c)
 Name of Issuer Class Number Thousands) Amount $ Sole Defined Other Other Managers Sole Shared None
--------------- -------- ------------ ----------- ----------- ---- ------- ------- -------------------- ----------- ------ -------
Johnson &
 Johnson Com 478160 10 4 258,615 4,322,500 X 4 4,322,500
 808,279 13,509,591 X 4, 14, 17 13,509,591
 19,463 325,300 X 4, 3, 17, 19, 20, 21 325,300
 543,687 9,087,200 X 4, 13, 17 9,087,200
 47,385 792,000 X 4, 2, 5, 12, 17 792,000
 34,402 575,000 X 4, 18 575,000
Kraft Foods
 Inc. Com 50075N 10 4 2,395,621 89,222,400 X 4, 14, 17 89,222,400
 826,720 30,790,300 X 4, 2, 5, 17 30,790,300
 268,500 10,000,000 X 4, 3, 17, 19, 20, 21 10,000,000
 6,976 259,800 X 4, 2, 5, 12, 17 259,800
 214,800 8,000,000 X 4 8,000,000
Lowes Companies
 Inc. Com 548661 10 7 139,880 6,500,000 X 4, 9, 10, 11, 14, 17 6,500,000
M & T Bank
 Corporation Com 55261F 10 4 344,653 6,003,360 X 4, 14, 17 6,003,360
 31,346 546,000 X 4, 9, 10, 11, 14, 17 546,000
 9,513 165,700 X 4, 13, 17 165,700
Moody's Com 615369 10 5 648,517 32,280,600 X 4, 14, 17 32,280,600
 315,803 15,719,400 X 4, 9, 10, 11, 14, 17 15,719,400
NRG Energy,
 Inc. Com 629377 50 8 167,976 7,200,000 X 4, 9, 10, 11, 14, 17 7,200,000
Nalco Holding
 Co. Com 62985Q 10 1 100,849 8,739,100 X 4, 9, 10, 11, 14, 17 8,739,100
Nike Inc. Com 654106 10 3 389,691 7,641,000 X 4, 9, 10, 11, 14, 17 7,641,000
Norfolk
 Southern
 Corp. Com 655844 10 8 90,948 1,933,000 X 4, 2, 5, 17 1,933,000
Procter &
 Gamble Co. Com 742718 10 9 3,443,394 55,700,318 X 4, 14, 17 55,700,318
 1,253,710 20,280,000 X 4, 2, 5, 17 20,280,000
 385,756 6,240,000 X 4, 13, 17 6,240,000
 385,756 6,240,000 X 4, 3, 17, 19, 20, 21 6,240,000
 48,220 780,000 X 4, 15, 17 780,000
 96,439 1,560,000 X 4, 7, 17 1,560,000
 70,518 1,140,692 X 4, 9, 10, 11, 14, 17 1,140,692
 270,462 4,375,000 X 4 4,375,000
Sanofi Aventis ADR 80105N 10 5 15,710 488,500 X 4, 9, 10, 11, 14, 17 488,500
 93,140 2,896,133 X 4, 14, 17 2,896,133
 5,445 169,300 X 4, 13, 17 169,300
 11,250 350,000 X 4, 2, 5, 12, 17 350,000
Sun Trusts
 Banks Inc. Com 867914 10 3 69,259 2,344,600 X 4, 14, 17 2,344,600
 25,404 860,000 X 4, 2, 5, 17 860,000
Torchmark Corp. Com 891027 10 4 3,467 77,551 X 1, 4, 14, 17 77,551
 20,102 449,728 X 4, 2, 5, 17 449,728
 74,063 1,656,900 X 4, 14, 17 1,656,900
 28,595 639,700 X 4, 13, 17 639,700
 -----------
 13,964,314
 -----------

BERKSHIRE HATHAWAY INC.
Form 13F Information Table
December 31, 2008 

 Column 6
 Investment
 Discretion Column 8
 Column 4 Column 5 -------------------- Voting Authority
 Column 2 Column 3 Market Shares or (b) (c) --------------------------
 Column 1 Title of CUSIP Value (In Principal (a) Shared- Shared- Column 7 (a) (b) (c)
 Name of Issuer Class Number Thousands) Amount $ Sole Defined Other Other Managers Sole Shared None
--------------- -------- ------------ ----------- ----------- ---- ------- ------- -------------------- ----------- ------ -------
US Bancorp Com 902973 30 4 582,916 23,307,300 X 4, 2, 5, 17 23,307,300
 519,428 20,768,826 X 4, 14, 17 20,768,826
 209,209 8,365,000 X 4 8,365,000
 250,100 10,000,000 X 4, 3, 17, 19, 20, 21 10,000,000
 54,372 2,174,000 X 4, 2, 5, 12, 17 2,174,000
 43,642 1,745,000 X 4, 18 1,745,000
 29,794 1,191,300 X 4, 9, 10, 11, 14, 17 1,191,300
USG Corporation Com 903293 40 5 137,260 17,072,192 X 4, 14, 17 17,072,192
Union Pacific
 Corp. Com 907818 10 8 425,707 8,906,000 X 4, 2, 5, 17 8,906,000
United Parcel
 Service Inc. Com 911312 10 6 78,835 1,429,200 X 4 1,429,200
United Health
 Group Inc. Com 91324P 10 2 167,580 6,300,000 X 4, 9, 10, 11, 14, 17 6,300,000
Wabco Holdings
 Inc. Com 92927K 10 2 42,633 2,700,000 X 4, 9, 10, 11, 14, 17 2,700,000
Wal-Mart
 Stores, Inc. Com 931142 10 3 1,065,045 18,998,300 X 4, 14, 17 18,998,300
 53,033 946,000 X 4, 9, 10, 11, 14, 17 946,000
Washington Post
 Co. Cl B 939640 10 8 349,002 894,304 X 4, 14, 17 894,304
 57,878 148,311 X 4, 5, 1, 6, 14, 17 148,311
 252,946 648,165 X 4, 13, 17 648,165
 14,433 36,985 X 4, 15, 17 36,985
Wells Fargo &
 Co. Del Com 949746 10 1 1,576,868 53,489,420 X 4, 2, 5, 17 53,489,420
 372,722 12,643,200 X 4, 3, 17, 19, 20, 21 12,643,200
 1,129,468 38,313,040 X 4, 13, 17 38,313,040
 82,190 2,788,000 X 4, 15, 17 2,788,000
 29,480 1,000,000 X 4, 17 1,000,000
 3,808,270 129,181,488 X 4, 14, 17 129,181,488
 47,455 1,609,720 X 4, 16, 17 1,609,720
 50,116 1,700,000 X 4, 8, 17 1,700,000
 24,174 820,000 X 4, 7, 17 820,000
 589,600 20,000,000 X 4, 9, 10, 11, 14, 17 20,000,000
 471,680 16,000,000 X 4, 1, 6, 14, 17 16,000,000
 235,840 8,000,000 X 4 8,000,000
 77,596 2,700,000 X 4, 2, 5, 12, 17 2,700,000
 58,960 2,000,000 X 4, 18 2,000,000
Wellpoint Inc. Com 949773V 10 7 201,268 4,777,300 X 4, 9, 10, 11, 14, 17 4,777,300
Wesco Finl
 Corp. Com 950817 10 6 1,641,919 5,703,087 X 4, 3, 17 5,703,087
 -----------
 14,731,419
 -----------
GRAND TOTAL $51,869,961
 ===========