I wanted to share a wonderful Ebay find I stumbled across early this year. I had been picking up some nice named Bronze Stars on Ebay (mainly hand engraved or script engraved), still quite reasonable priced and full of history, a good combination for any collector and historian.
This piece turned out to be quite a nice find, I did a quick search on ABMC and found this honored vet was a KIA, so I decided to be sure and go after it. Surprisingly I won it with little competition. After just a bit more web searching I discovered a heroic story and sacrifice.
This is another I must research further, but I wanted to share my initial findings with the group. So with no further ado...
Here is an excerpt where Sgt Gay is mentioned"
I found your website and am trying to locate some information on a fellow names Richard C. Hanauer. He was in the 430th AAA AW Bn during WWII. Any relation?
I'm trying to right the history of this unit and Richard played a big part.
Here's some specifics about this man.
Lt. Hanauer rejoined Battery "B" after volunteering for temporary duty with the 397th Provisional AAA MG Battalion (anti-aircraft artillery, machine gun), which landed on Omaha Beach, code named "Easy Red," along with units of the 197th AAA AW, within 15-30 minutes after the first wave of infantry on D-Day, 6 June 1944. Also with this battalion were Sgt. Frederick O. Kent of Battery "B" and Sgt. Mitchell E. Gay of Battery "D". The 397th Provisional Machine Gun Battalion was to be part of the first wave of Allied soldiers to land on Omaha Beach and protect the engineers while they removed steel barriers and other obstacles for the infantry. Most of this unit was wiped out even before they got to land. "They lost 28 of its 36 machine guns disembarking."
Lt. Hanauer would eventually be promoted to Captain and would also receive a Bronze star for his actions at Omaha Beach.
