World War II Honoree

Gerald P. Hannon

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Buffalo, New York

Honored By

Orville L. Kline

RANK: TECHNICIAN 4TH CLASS. HE WAS INDUCTED INTO THE ARMY OCTOBER 22, 1942 AT BUFFALO, NEW YORK. AFTER PARATROOPER TRAINING, HE SERVED WITH D-BATTERY, 377TH PARACHUTE FIELD ARTILLERY BATTALION, 101ST AIRBORNE ‘SCREAMING EAGLES’ DIVISION. IN THE BATTLE OF NORMANDY, HE PARACHUTED INTO THE SAINT-MARTIN-DE-VARREVILLE AREA ON THE FRENCH COTENTIN PENINSULA IN THE EARLY MORNING HOURS ON D-DAY, TUESDAY, JUNE 6, 1944. THIS WAS THE INVASION OF GERMANY’S FORTRESS EUROPE, CODE NAME: OPERATION OVERLORD. HE WAS CAPTURED BY THE GERMANS ON SUNDAY, JUNE 11, 1944 DURING THE BATTLE OF CARENTAN AND HELD CAPTIVE AS A PRISONER OF WAR. IT WAS REPORTED THROUGH OFFICIAL SOURCES, THAT HE HAD DIED SATURDAY, JUNE 17, 1944 WHILE ATTEMPTING TO ESCAPE FROM HIS CAPTORS AND HE WAS BURIED IN THE BLOSVILLE-CARENTAN CEMETERY. AFTER THE CESSATION OF HOSTILITIES IN EUROPE, HIS REMAINS WERE RETURNED TO HIS FAMILY, WITH INTERMENT APRIL 26, 1948 IN THE LONG ISLAND NATIONAL CEMETERY, FARMINGDALE, NEW YORK. DECORATION AND CITATION: PURPLE HEART. THE SOLDIER WAS AWARDED THE PURPLE HEART POSTHUMOUSLY FOR HIS SUPREME SACRIFICE IN DEFENSE OF HIS COUNTRY.