George S. Hannah was born October 17, 1908, in Norwich, Chenango County, New York, to Hugh J. (1872-1960) and Etta J. Balcom (1877-1923) Hannah. He was the third of three children born to Hugh and Etta Hannah: Dora J. Plunkett (1904-1971) and Lillian M. Hannah (1905-1993) were his siblings. Hugh worked as a polisher and an inspector at the Hanner Factory.

George was educated in Norwich public schools. George first enlisted in the U.S. Army on August 26, 1930, in Rome, Oneida County, New York. He was sent to Fort Slocum, New York, to be outfitted and trained, and then to Schofield Barracks in Hawaii via the Panama Canal. He served there for five years. In August, 1935, Sgt. Hannah, Company K 35, Infantry, reported to Fort Jay, New York, after visiting his sister, Dora, and her husband, Police Sergeant John Plunkett, for several days in Rome, New York. George again visited the couple in December 1937, and made his home with them for one and a half years prior to his second enlistment on August 21, 1939. George was employed at the Ford garage in Rome, New York, during that time.

George married Ruby (or Ruth) Lee in Baltimore in September 1943.

Pvt. Hannah sustained wounds from an artillery shell during the Battle of Normandy (June 6-August 15, 1944) and died of those wounds on August 2, 1944.

Pvt. George S. Hannah is buried in the Normandy-American Cemetery and Memorial in Colleville-sur-Mer, France, Plot B, Row 10, Grave 4.

He was posthumously awarded the Purple Heart and the Rome (New York) Medal of Honor. Pvt. Hannah is remembered on the Chenango County World War II Memorial in Norwich, New York. Pvt. Hannah is remembered at the BackToNormandy.org website, at the Oneida County, New York, World War II, Army and Air Force Honor List of Dead and Missing Personnel, and at the Sons of Liberty Museum website.

End notes: This story is part of the Stories Behind the Stars Project, a national effort of volunteers to write the stories of all 421,000+ of the US WWII fallen saved on Together We Served and Fold3 web sites. Can you help write these stories? These stories will be accessible via smartphone app at any war memorial or cemetery. If you noticed anything erroneous in this profile or have additional information to contribute to it, please contact hillerson@beyondbb.com.       

Resources:

FindAGrave:

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/56645292/george-s-hannah

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/73270712/hugh_j_hannah

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/73270711/etta_j_hannah

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/114340208/dora_j_plunkett

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/114340327/lillian_m_hannah

Fold3.com:

https://www.fold3.com/record/529910035/george-s-hannah-us-american-battle-monuments-commission-1914-1950

https://www.fold3.com/sub-image/641647253/hannah-george-s-us-rosters-of-world-war-ii-dead-1939-1945

https://www.fold3.com/record/703967230/blank-us-wwii-hospital-admission-card-files-1942-1954

https://www.fold3.com/record/83227201/george-s-hannah-us-wwii-army-enlistment-records-1938-1946

HonorStates.org: https://www.honorstates.org/profiles/340208/

The U.S. National Archives & Records Administration:

https://aad.archives.gov/aad/print-record-detail.jsp?dt=893&mtch=20&tf=F&q=George+Hannah&bc=sl,fd&rpp=10&pg=1&rid=228690&rlst=228690,1023353,3608059,4593968,250324,3621240,3754867,4001681,4001698,4297770

GenealogyTrails.com: https://genealogytrails.com/ny/oneida/ww2casualties.html

American Battle Monuments Commission: https://www.abmc.gov/decedent-search/hannah%3Dgeorge

https://www.abmc.gov/print/certificate/375344

Back To Normandy: https://www.backtonormandy.org/the-history/places-and-names-to-remember/american-cemetery-and-memorial/115371-B-10-04.html

WorldWar2Files.com: https://worldwar2files.com/29thinfantrydivision/index.html

https://worldwar2files.com/29thinfantrydivision/index.html#175

DDayOverlord.com: https://www.dday-overlord.com/en/battle-of-normandy/after-action-reports/29th-infantry

https://www.dday-overlord.com/en/battle-of-normandy/forces/usa/29th-infantry-division-battle-order

Sons of Liberty Museum: 29th Infantry Division: https://www.sonsoflibertymuseum.org/29th-infantry-division-ww2.cfm

Historical Marker Database: https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=157097

Grateful Memory, Norwich, New York: https://www.waymarking.com/waymarks/WMPRMM_Grateful_Memory_Norwich_NY

Supporting Documents