The information on this page was furnished by Steve & Molly Daniel in  honor of Steve’s Uncle Jack Hagerty who was killed in action during the landing  on Omaha Beach Normandy France on June 5th 1945.

Ensign Jack Hagerty.

Like many of the ESB units, the 5th was composed of elements of the Army and the Navy.

Letter from Herbert Woods to Steven Daniel, dated May 1997

In your newsletter with Steve’s pictures, with the monument in the background – it looked like Jim Allison and George Wade were inscribed. I heard that they and one other member were hit on D +1 on Easy Green Beach by one blast from the only (I heard) Pill Box left operating. The story (of which I heard) was operating with a Polish crew and the German captain would not let them surrender! (soon after it was silenced!)

Letters to Jack’s widow, Edna Mae Hagerty, dated 1944:

Dear Edna Mae,
Just a few lines in memory of your late husband Jack. He was a fine fellow. I admired and loved him as an officer and a man.

He was on my ship, going ahead of his platoon as a recon group. He seemed so happy and confident and was such an inspiration and example to all men and officers with him. His favorite expression was “I have too much to live for, a lovely wife and a little football player ‘coming on.’”

We were on deck together as we approached the beach. It was there the first casualties occurred and Jack assisted me in treating them. He turned to lead his men ashore and I moved forward to treat another casualty. At this moment a heavy shell landed aboard killing Jack instantly. He had left me with a big smile an encouraging word of “See you on the beach.”

We later transferred his body to one of the large transports in the area.

He was a gentleman and an officer. He was one who lead his men rather than drive them. His loss if felt by the entire battalion.

I shall always remember him as an officer of distinction and a man of courage.

Sincerely,
John K. Kincaid
 

Dear Edna Mae,
This is probably the toughest letter that I’ve ever tried to write. Most of us don’t even talk anymore about Jack’s highest gift to his country. After all a bunch of guys with watery eyes don’t exactly present the artists picture of returned warriors. I should have written sooner but I wanted to make sure that the government had notified you first. Mary’s letter of June 22nd told me that it had.

I had little close association with Jack after our first six weeks over here, the outfit having split up into companies, and later into platoons and groups throughout different camps. However fairly frequently we would meet at “The Chestnuts” Club, Jack sometimes just a wee bit tipsy, and on each occasion the conversation would drift to the subject of his “little football player on the way.” A couple of times, when I showed him the latest pictures of Joan that Mary had sent he said, “You know, it wouldn’t be bad to have a little daughter too; I’ll have to start work on that as soon as I get home.”

The greatest blow that I got on D-Day or thereafter was when Johnny Kincaid, one of our doctors on Jack’s craft who saw him hit, late that evening told me of Jack’s contribution to our success. At first I didn’t believe it, and my emotions at that time are not expressible -- save that my first thoughts were for you. John, I believe, has written telling you of Jack’s last words; they were for you.

Of all the men we left in France, Jack’s death symbolizes most for all of us, the great sacrifices of war. I don’t have to tell you that Jack was a grand guy, the “personality kid” and we all loved his “ugly face.”

I know you can take this Edna Ma, for Jack, who himself was no quitter, would want you to. May we meet again.

Sincerely,
Russ D.
 

Dear Mrs. Hagerty:

I am writing on behalf of the officers and men of the battalion and myself, to tell you how deeply and truly we sympathize with you in the loss of your husband, our friend and shipmate.

You must have heard by now how bravely and calmly he carried on in the face of heavy enemy fire, and was killed instantly by the explosion of a large shell which fell nearby. This occurred, as you know, during the landing in Normandy.

His courageous devotion to duty will always be an inspiration to us all.

Any further information I can gather will be instantly made available to you. Forgive me for not writing sooner but I have just a few days ago been released from the hospital.

Very sincerely yours,
Eugene Cassin Carrusi
Commander, U.S.N.R.
 

Below is the monument to the men of the 5^th Engineer Special  Brigade. This memorial stands on the bluffs overlooking Omaha Beach, at the  point near a village named Colleville-sur-Mer.

Photo taken in 1994 and provided by The American Battle Monuments Commission, European Office. Address: 68, Rue  du 19 Janvier, 92380 Garches, France. tel. 47.01.19.76 and fax 47.41.19.79. Military address: ABMC, Paris Embassy, Unit 21551, APO AE 09777.

John W. Donaldson, Brigadier General, USA, Ret., Director. The following is  inscribed on the monument.

To our 30 brave comrades in arms of the  377^th Combat Engineers who gave their lives on the beaches of France and on the Continent of Europe in W.W. II. Lest we forget.