Craig B Hannum

1st Lt Craig Hannum was killed in action on 07 June 1944, serving with Company C, 1st Battalion, 18th Infantry Regiment. On 7 June 1944, the 1st Battalion, 18th Infantry moved out shortly after midnight to push inland from the Normandy beachhead. Advancing in column of companies, the battalion cleared the Colleville-sur-Mer–St. Laurent-sur-Mer road within two hours, overcoming scattered German resistance, before receiving fresh orders to seize the high ground near Engranville. Companies advanced abreast toward Surrain, brushing aside isolated machine-gun nests and snipers, cutting the Cherbourg-Bayeux highway by early afternoon, and driving German defenders back across the Aure River while taking a number of prisoners. By evening the battalion had dug in on the high ground overlooking the river and the fortified town of Trevieres, having secured its objective after a day of steady, hard-fought progress inland. 1st Lt Hannum was killed in action that day; the report does not specify the individual circumstances.