World War II Honoree

Sterling D. Hammond

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Muskegon County, Michigan

Honored By

Orville L. Kline

RANK: PRIVATE. INDUCTED INTO THE ARMY JANUARY 6, 1942 AT DETROIT, MICHIGAN. HE WAS A PARATROOPER, WHO SERVED AS A ‘MEDIC’ WITH DELTA COMPANY, 2ND BATTALION, 501ST PARACHUTE INFANTRY REGIMENT, 101ST AIRBORNE 'SCREAMING EAGLES’ DIVISION. KILLED IN ACTION IN THE EARLY, DARK MORNING HOURS OF D-DAY, TUESDAY, JUNE 6, 1944 DURING THE BATTLE OF NORMANDY, THE INVASION OF GERMANY’S FORTRESS EUROPE, CODE NAME: OPERATION OVERLORD. HE DIED ALONG WITH 17 OTHER PARATROOPERS AND ALL 4 AIR CORPS PERSONNEL WHEN HIS C-47 ‘SKYTRAIN’ TROOP CARRIER WAS SHOT DOWN BY GERMAN ANTIAIRCRAFT BATTERIES AND CRASHED NEAR VARENGUEBEC WEST OF PICAUVILLE ON THE FRENCH COTENTIN PENINSULA. THE DISASTER OCCURRED AS THE PILOT WAS ATTEMPTING TO ENTER THE DESIGNATED DROP ZONE-D AREA, LOCATED AT ANGOVILLE-AU-PLAIN, FRANCE. AFTER THE CESSATION OF HOSTILITIES IN EUROPE, HIS REMAINS WERE RETURNED TO INDIANA FOR BURIAL APRIL 30, 1948, WITH INTERMENT IN THE NEW ALBANY NATIONAL CEMETERY, NEW ALBANY, INDIANA.