Purple Heart, “Raymond S. McCann”, 2nd Recon Troop, 2nd Inf Division

Purple Heart, slot brooch, hand-engraved “Raymond S./McCann”. Cased with a lapel pin and a 2nd Infantry Division patch.

2Lt McCann died 16 July 1944 and is commemorated on the Tablets of the Missing at the American Military Cemetery, Colleville-sur-Mer, France. His body was not recovered and he was later commemorated in a family plot in Brooklyn, New York. Lt McCann earned a Silver Star in the action that resulted in his death: “On 16 June 1944, the unit with which Lieutenant McCann was serving in the capacity of Liaison Officer was confronted with the problem of knocking out an enemy self-propelled 88-mm. gun, which had been harassing our troops for the past forty-eight hours. Despite the fact that his duties as Liaison Officer did not call for this type of work, Lieutenant McCann volunteered for this hazardous mission. He assumed command of a bazooka team patrol and endeavored to penetrate the enemy defensive lines to knock out this gun. Lieutenant McCann was seriously wounded as a result of this action”. McCann was part of the Reconnaissance Troop, 2nd Infantry Division, at the time.