daughters of d-day:

My name is Nancy (Hahnen) McCormick and I am the very proud daughter of Billy G. Hahnen, 82nd Airborne, Division 505, Company G. 

It is hard to summarize everything I feel about my Dad into words.  He was a hero in the true sense of the word, although he would “have my head” for even saying his name and hero in the same sentence. 

Dad was born in Neenah, WI, on March 15, 1922.  He had three older brothers and one older sister.  Two of his brothers died in 1931 and, from that time, I think Dad felt he should excel by trying to attain the dreams of his two brothers.  He was the first Eagle Scout in the local troop, one of the best musicians in the local band, and had loads of friends and a neighborhood sweetheart ~ my Mother, Marjorie Anklam Hahnen.  They began dating in high school and were married a month after Dad returned to the States. 

After graduating from high school in 1940, Dad was a member of the 120th Field Artillery Band through November of 1941.  However, due to his father’s ill health, he received a discharge for family hardship.  In 1942, knowing that he was going to be drafted, he joined the Army and went to Infantry Basic Training in Camp Roberts, CA.  When told by his friend that he could get extra pay if he joined the paratroopers, he thought “why not”.  He transferred to Ft. Benning, Georgia, and successfully completed Parachute Training where he was assigned to 505, Company G.  He remained with Company G throughout his entire military career. 

Dad was with the 505 in their first jump into Sicily and was witness to the friendly fire experienced by the 504 as they attempted their jumps.  He also jumped into Italy, fighting in Salerno and Naples.  Dad’s Company was one of the first to arrive at Ste. Mere Eglise and he talked about the horrors of seeing fellow troopers hanging from the trees.  (I have also sent along a newspaper article regarding a couple of his D-Day memoirs.)  After the liberation of Ste. Mere Eglise, Dad went with his unit to St. Sauveur le Vecomte where he won the Silver Star for valiantry and heroism.  The following was written by Bill Bishop of Company G regarding Dad’s and Pete Boland’s heroism during this battle: 

“Pete Boland and Bill Hahnen, a bazooka team, were in position to fire on German tanks.  They knocked out one and disabled another one and the third withdrew.  By knocking out these tanks, Pete and Bill were no doubt responsible for saving a lot of lives because the company was not dug in.  They both knelt down in the middle of the road completely exposed to the tank fire and proceeded to stop them.”

After a brief respite in England, Operation Market Garden was undertaken and here Dad made his fourth combat jump.  Company G was one of those assigned the duty of  defending a long perimeter facing the German Reichswald and were constantly under fierce attack; it was imperative that additional troops did not get into the Nijmegen area.

While performing this duty, on October 8, 1944, Dad was in a very wet slit trench when a tree burst went off, sending shrapnel into his ankles.  He was sent back to England and then back to the States for surgeries on both ankles.  (Dad always said they should have just taken off the one leg at that time.) 

As soon as Dad arrived back in the States, he and Mother were married  in Buffalo, New York, on December 27, 1944.  Dad was in and out of the hospital for more than a year. After his discharge, he moved back to Menasha, Wisconsin, where he lived until his death on  June 29, 2004. 

Throughout the years, Dad had numerous problems with his injuries.  He worked as a millwright for Kimberly-Clark and there were many times when his ankle would painfully flare up.  As he got older, he developed diabetes and congestive heart failure which we felt were in part due to the fact that he never could exercise properly.  His left leg was amputated in 1992.  With continuing poor health, he put up the good fight as he had all of his life, but left us on June 29, 2004. 

While I was growing up, Dad didn’t speak of the war much at all.  (Or perhaps, he was talking but I just wasn’t listening!)  Mother said he had many bad dreams when he got back home.  As I got a little older, I started to listen more and found that he mostly would talk about different guys he served with and the “funny” things that happened.

All of his medals (including his Silver Star, Bronze Star, Purple Heart, Marksmanship Award, etc.) were simply kept in a little box which my brother and I would go in and look at occasionally.  There was NEVER any talk about this heroic event or that event.  He was just another G.I. doing his job! 

Nobody liked to party more than my Father and no one loved his family more than he did.  The older he got, the more loving he became.  He loved to grumble about things but had an absolute heart of gold, was just about a genius with building/fixing things, and had a fantastic sense of humor. Oh, how he loved his family from his beloved wife of almost 60 years down to his great grandson who turned one shortly before Dad passed away.   I also have a brother, Arthur Hahnen, who also lives in the area and is very excited by this entire D-Day project.  My Mother still lives in hers and Dad’s “castle” as he regarded it.  (Actually, we sprinkled some of his ashes in his beloved yard and also a small handful in his basement bar.) 

It is most definitely my privilege and honor to be the daughter of a true American hero ~ Billy G. Hahnen.

        - Nancy (Hahnen) McCormick