World War II Honoree

Fred A. Hancock

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Oktaha, Oklahoma

Honored By

Pearl Thomas

Served in the Army Parachute Infantry, and was assigned to command Company C, 1st Battalion, 502nd Regiment, 101st Airborne Division. The Division was transferred to Hungerford, England. The 101st jumped into France, where his company repelled a German counterattack, preventing the Germans from retaking the town of Carentan. For his unit’s action during the campaign he was awarded the Silver Star and Purple Heart. The Division later jumped into Holland landing near the town of Eindhoven. There he was wounded in the chest. After leaving the hospital, he served in the Battle of the Bulge assigned to Battalion S-2-Intelligence. Received the Silver Star, Bronze Star Medal, Purple Heart with Oak Leaf Cluster, Combat Infantryman Badge, Parachute Badge, Belgium Fourragere, and Netherlands Dutch Orange Lanyard.