The story of Private First Class Kenneth C. Hanna
Dog Company , 17th Armored Engineer Battalion, 2nd Armored Division
Army Serial Number: unknown
Private First Class, Kenneth C. Hanna, D Company , 17th Engineers, in Camouflage uniform
Born: June 21, 1922
Married with: Wilma R (Wilson) Hanna
Deceased: –
Year 1923
Kenneth C Hanna is Born in Corning, Iowa.
“Iowa, County Births, 1880-1935,”
Name: Kenneth Carl Hanna
Event Type: Birth
Event Date: 21 Jun 1922
Event Place: Quincy, Adams, Iowa, United States
Gender: Male
Father’s Name: Carl A Hanna
Mother’s Name: A Pearl Richards
US Sensun 1930 (ancestry.com)
Name: Kenneth C Hanna
Event Type: Census
Event Date: 1930
Event Place: Washington, Adams, Iowa, United States
Gender: Male
Age: 7
Marital Status: Single
Race: White
Race (Original): White
Relationship to Head of Household: Son
Relationship to Head of Household (Original): Son
Birth Year (Estimated): 1923
Birthplace: Iowa
Father’s Birthplace: Ohio
| Household | Role | Sex | Age | Birthplace |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carl A Hanna | Head | M | 41 | Ohio |
| Alice P Hanna | Wife | F | 30 | Kansas |
| Helen L Hanna | Daughter | F | 10 | Iowa |
| Kenneth C Hanna | Son | M | 7 | Iowa |
| Carl A Hanna | Male | Male | 41 | Married | White | Head | 1889 | Ohio | Ohio | A | 1 | |||
| Alice P Hanna | Female | 30 | Married | White | Wife | 1900 | Kansas | Missouri | Iowa | A | 1 | |||
| Helen L Hanna | Female | 10 | Single | White | Daughter | 1920 | Iowa | Ohio | Kansas | A | 1 | |||
| Kenneth C Hanna | Male | 7 | Single | White | Son | 1923 | Iowa | Ohio | Kansas | A | 1 |
US Sensus 1940
US Sensus 1940 (Ancestry.com)
Name: Keneth Hanna
Event Type: Census
Event Date: 1940
Event Place: Carl, Carl Township, Adams, Iowa, United States
Gender: Male
Age: 17
Marital Status: Single
Race: White
Race (Original): White
Relationship to Head of Household: Son
Relationship to Head of Household (Original): Son
Birthplace: Iowa
Birth Year (Estimated): 1923
Last Place of Residence: Same Place
| Household | Role | Sex | Age | Birthplace |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| C A Hanna | Head | M | 57 | Ohio |
| Alice Hanna | Wife | F | 46 | Kansas |
| Helen Hanna | Daughter | F | 20 | Iowa |
| Keneth Hanna | Son | M | 17 | Iowa |
| Rosa Hanna | Mother | F | 75 | Ohio |
Wartime years
October 1942
Was drafted and basic training on 9 October 1942 at Fort Knox, Kentucky.
May 1943
Arrived in North Africa May 1943.
“05-2021“
October 1943
Letter send from North Africa, October 6th, 1943.
Envelope of Kenneth C Hanna, from D Company, 17th Armored Engineer Battalion, ssend on October 6th 1943. (Courtesy: Private Collection: Martijn Brandjes)
November 1943
Arrived at Tidworth Barracks England Nov. 29, 1943.
June 1944
Arrived at the Omaha Beach, Normandy France, june 9, 1944.
February 1944
PFC Kenneth C Hanna, D Company 17th Armored Engineer Battalion, Adams County Free Press (Corning, Iowa)24 Feb 1944, ThuPage 4 (Source Newspapers.com)
June/ July 1944
Private First Class, Kenneth C. Hanna, D Company , 17th Engineers, in Camouflage HBT 2 piece uniform (source unknown)
Private First Class, Kenneth C. Hanna and Eugene Davidson, D Company , 17th Engineers (Source unknown)
January 1945
Called to Battle of Bulge Jan 8, 1945
February 1945
Sent Huy, Belgium hospital. Le Mans France, then Exeter England Convalescent Center. Still carry eight pieces of schraphnel.
Kenneth C Hanna, 17th Armored Engineer Battalion, D Company, 17th Armored Engineer Battalion,Adams County Free Press (Corning, Iowa)01 Feb 1945, ThuPage 52 (neswpapers.com)
May 1945
Back to France May 5, 1945. Spent six weeks with records lost in replacement depot. Finally back to 2nd Armored, near Halle Germany.
July 1945
In Berlin, July 3rd while War Lords met a Potsdam.
October 1945
Discharged October 19, 1945.
PFC Kennth C Hanna, 17th Armored Engineer Battalion, Adams County Free Press (Corning, Iowa)01 Nov 1945, ThuPage 2 (newspapers.com)
After the war
Marriage 1947
PFC Kenneth C Hanna, 17th Armored Engineer Battalion, Lenox Time Table (Lenox, Iowa)12 Jun 1947, ThuPage 4 (newspapers.com)
Article -Private First Class, Kenneth C. Hanna, D Company , 17th Engineers (Source unknown)
KENNETH C. HANNA, entered Army Oct 3, 1942.
Basic training Ft. Knox KY. Arrived in North Africa May 1943. Joined Compay D, 17th Armored Engineer Battalion. Tidworth Barracks England Nov. 29, 1943. Omaha Beach june 9, 1944. Rat race across France after the St Lo Breakthrough to Belgium, Holland into Germany. Called to Battle of Bulge Jan 8, 1945 the Germans gave me a bunch of medals near Samree, Belgium. Sent Huy, Belgium hospital. Le Mans France, then Exeter England Convalescent Center. Still carry eight pieces of schraphnel. Back to France May 5, 1945. Spent six weeks with records lost in replacement depot. Finally back to 2nd Armored, near Halle Germany. In Berlin, July 3rd while War Lords met a Potsdam.
Recieved Purple Heart, Good Conduct Ribbon, five Campaign stars. Discharged October 19, 1945. With wife Wilma own and operate 400 Acre ranch near Corning Iowa. Have four childeren and seven grandchildren.
Research and written by Martijn Brandjes 2019