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Hometown Heroes of WWII
Hannifan: Earned Distinguished Service Cross
By Michael Rocchetti
Michael D. Hannifan (1908-1971) was born Sept. 20, 1908, in Putnam, the eldest son of Irish immigrants – Timothy and Abbey Hannifan. He had three brothers and one sister, all of Putnam. He was a graduate of Putnam High School and Becker Business College in Worcester. He was working as a foreman at a silk mill (Belding Hemingway Corticelli Co) in Putnam when he joined the U.S. Army on 19 March 1941.
After completing Officer Candidate School he was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in late 1942. He was assigned to the 36th Infantry Division, from Texas. After extensive training in the U.S., the division was sent to North Africa in April 1943. In September 1943 he fought at Salerno in Italy. Many months of hard fighting would follow in Italy at places like Montecassino and Anzio. In June of 1944 his division fought its way north from Rome to Grosseto in Tuscany.
It was at Grosseto where he earned the Distinguished Service Cross (DSC) – the second highest U.S. military award for valor in combat. His citation reads as follows: “In the vicinity of Grosseto Italy, on June 20th 1944, Lieutenant Hannifan was assigned the mission of leading his platoon in a daylight attack against strong enemy positions situated on high ground. When the enemy spotted his platoon and pinned it to the ground with heavy fire from mortars and machine guns, LT Hannifan pressed forward alone in order to locate the machine gun (MG) which had stopped his platoon. Ten yards from the MG position he was fired upon. Instantly dropping to the ground, he hurled grenades into the emplacement with deadly accuracy and eliminated the MG nest. He then led his platoon up the hillside through heavy mortar fire directed from an observation post (OP) on the summit of the hill. LT Hannifan discovered an enemy communication wire, followed it within 20 yards of the OP, but the enemy spotted him and began firing directly at him as he continued to advance up the hill. LT Hannifan charged the OP and with deadly fire, destroyed the post. With the threat of mortar fire removed, he gained ascendency of the important high ground.”
Shortly afterwards, LT Hannifan was wounded in action in and was hospitalized from September till November of 1944. He later rejoined his outfit in France – where he was awarded the DSC by the 36th Infantry Division Commander, Major General John E. Dahlquist. After the war, he returned to Putnam where he worked as a manager at the silk mill. He was active in the community, with the Irish-American Club, and as the Exalted Ruler for the Elks. He was also very active in both scholastic and company sport leagues – playing basketball, baseball, and football. He died Jan. 29, 1971, at the age of 62. He’s buried at St Mary’s Cemetery.
Hometown Heroes is a series published in the Putnam Town Crier & Northeast Ledger with this mission: We owe it to our Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Marines to make sure that they are never forgotten, and that the memory of their service and sacrifice will forever live on in the hearts and minds of the grateful people of Putnam.
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