Description	Armband issued to U.S. Army soldiers during World War II for the invasion of Normandy. White painted cotton cloth with silkscreened 48 star U.S. flag in the center. Ends have a series of 3/16" diameter holes to adjust size. Band held to uniform sleeve with safety pin, which is included. Reverse side has 2" high black block letters "CL." Band was designed to be pinned to upper arm to identify soldier as a member of the American army. Belonged to Adrian Hansen, a trooper in the 82 Airborne during World War II. Adrian Donald Hansen was born in Eldorado, WI on 02/07/1919, the son of Margaret May Griffiths Hansen and Pearl Steven Hansen. He attended Slough Bridge School, Winnebago County, Wisconsin. Before World War II, he worked for his father and the Wisconsin Diamond Match Company. He entered the U. S. Army on September 29, 1942. He was in the 1st Battalion of the 82nd Airborne Division, 325 Glider Infantry. He was awarded the Purple Heart after being wounded in action in France in 1944. He also received the good Conduct Medal, European-African-Middle Eastern Service Ribbon with one Silver Star for gallantry in action and one Bronze Battle Star for service above and beyond the call of duty, Glider Badge, five overseas Service Bars, Distinguished Unit Badge, Bronze Service Arrowhead, Combat Infantryman Badge and glider Wings. He also received a Presidential Citation for volunteering to go behind enemy lines to rescue troops in the Battle of the Bulge. He served with the 325th glider Infantry in French Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Sicily, Italy, Ireland, France, Holland, Belgium and Germany. He was part of the Normandy Invasion on D-Day. He served in Foreign Service for 2 years, 4 months, 16 days. He was honorably discharged on September 22, 1945. He returned to the Diamond Match Company to work until it closed. He worked for the Turner Horse Stables and the Universal Foundry, Oshkosh until he retired at age 62. He died 09/08/1998 in Oshkosh WI.
Dimensions	W-4 L-17.5 inches
Event	World War II
Material	Cloth/Paint
Object ID	2002.110.61
Object Name	Armband
People	Hansen, Adrian Donald
Place of Origin	United States of America
Year Range from	1942
Year range to	1945

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Last modified on: July 22, 2007