Superb D-Day Veteran Uniform and Medals Group

An exceptionally historic group that includes the World War II period uniform jacket and medals of Colonel William C. Mahoney, Jr., who was awarded both the Silver Star and the Purple Heart for his valor on Omaha Beach on June 6, 1944. The Silver Star citation was as follows:

“The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Lieutenant Colonel William C. Mahoney (ASN: 0-23486), United States Army, for gallantry in action against the enemy while serving with the 49th Anti-Aircraft Artillery Brigade, on 6 June 1944, in France. Lieutenant Colonel Mahoney landed on D-Day and crossed the beach with complete disregard for his personal safety to supervise the disposition of the units of the Brigade in their secondary role. He directed fire on ground installations in support of assault infantry of the 16th and 18th Combat Teams of the 1st Division which culminated in the successful clearance of the heights commanding the beach. Observing that six half tracks had been abandoned on an LST and were under heavy enemy fire, Lieutenant Colonel Mahoney recruited six men to clear the half tracks from the LST. In the process, Lieutenant Colonel Mahoney was seriously wounded, but exemplifying coolness and aggressiveness, continued to fulfill his mission until evacuated to the United Kingdom later in the day.”

The group consists of the following items:

– Uniform: The uniform is Colonel Mahoney’s four pocket, belted officer tunic, tailored in Frankfurt, and with an internal label printed with both Mahoney’s name and service number. The tunic has the immediate post-war shoulder patch of Supreme Allied Headquarters on the left shoulder. Both shoulders have the bullion eagle rank insignia of a Colonel. The collar features officer “US” and infantry brass. On the left breast is a sterling Combat Infantry Badge with sterling clutch fasteners. Beneath the CIB is an impressive array of sewn-on ribbons for the following medals and decorations: Silver Star; Legion of Merit; Bronze Star; Army Commendation Medal with 2 oak leaf clusters; Purple Heart with 1 oak leaf cluster; Berlin Airlift Medal; American Defense Medal; American Campaign Medal; European Campaign Medal with an Invasion Arrowhead device and two campaign stars; World War II Victory Medal; World War II Occupation Medal; French Croix de Guerre with palm; Belgium Order of Leopold with rosette; and Belgium Croix de Guerre with palm. The uniform jacket has internal wear, but it is in overall very good condition. With the jacket is Colonel Mahoney’s officer overseas cap, with a pin back sterling Colonel’s eagle. Mahoney’s name and service number are written inside of the cap on the leather sweat band.

– Medals and Decorations: The group includes Colonel Mahoney’s awards for his service before, during, and after the war: Legion of Merit, unnamed as awarded in the theater of operations, and which appears to be of sterling silver composition with a sterling slot brooch; Silver Star, slot brooch, unnamed as awarded in the theater of operations; Bronze Star, slot brooch, unnamed as awarded; Purple Heart, slot brooch, unnamed as awarded in the theater of operations; Purple Heart, slot brooch, very nicely privately engraved “Feb. 6th 1945”; Army Commendation Medal, crimp brooch, unnamed as awarded; American Defense Medal, slot brooch; American Campaign Medal, crimp brooch; European Campaign Medal, crimp brooch; World War II Victory Medal, crimp brooch; Army of Occupation Medal, crimp brooch; and the Berlin Airlift Medal for Humane Action, crimp brooch.

Additionally, the group includes the Womens Army Corps uniform of Lieutenant V. E. Karlson, who would become the wife of Colonel Mahoney. The uniform includes an olive wool WAC officer cap; a khaki color wool WAC officer shirt; the WAC officer chocolate uniform jacket with the shoulder patch of the Army Service Forces; and the “pink” wool officer skirt. The wool shirt has some noticeable mothing to it and, for some reason, the officer cuff braid was removed from the sleeves of the uniform jacket. Aside from these points, however, the uniform is in excellent condition.

Colonel Mahoney spent his career in the United States Army, serving in Korea and Vietnam after the Second World War. An impressive and compelling group that belonged to an officer decorated for bravery under fire on Omaha beach, in one of the decisive battles of World War II.