Former Lincolnville veteran receives belated Bronze Star
Kahns participated
in D-Day invasion
By ROWENA PLETT
Staff writer
Norman Kahns, 83, of Mount Vernon, Wash., was a 24-year-old farmer from Lincolnville when he joined the U.S. Army in 1944. He participated in the D-Day invasion along the coast of Normandy, France, during World War II.
This spring, 59 years later, he was presented with a Bronze Star and France's Jubilee Award in a special ceremony at his home.
Kahns was the oldest child of John and Frieda Kahns and a brother of the late Alvin "Shorty" Kahns, who ran the Amoco service station in Lincolnville for many years before his death.
Kahns said he was in the third wave of troops which went ashore. Fortunately, by then, fellow soldiers had established a solid foothold.
Kahns was a runner, a soldier who literally ran from command post to command post, relaying orders about such things as troop deployment and advancement strategies.
Kahns said he was not a fast runner and had to use cunning to survive. As he ran, he kept from getting shot by hiding behind giant iron obstacles buried in the sand by the Germans or by ducking into shallow craters.
"I said a few prayers that day and I had my Bible right here," he said, indicating his breast pocket.
The Allies achieved their goal in one day, and the troops began to move inland.
Two months later, Kahns was within 50 miles of Paris. He had been promoted to Staff Sergeant and had become a squad leader when he was hit by shrapnel from an exploding overhead shell. It pierced his steel helmet and took out a chunk of his skull.
The incident also damaged some of his brain tissue, which caused him to be partially paralyzed on his right side for the rest of his life.
He recuperated in a hospital at Fort Lewis, Wash. He received a Purple Heart and was honorably discharged from the Army in October 1945.
Kahns returned to his home at Lincolnville and found he could not bear the heat and stress of farming. He talked his whole family into moving out to the Pacific Northwest.
Shorty and his wife, Almeda, returned to Kansas, but Kahns has resided in Washington ever since.
A year ago, a friend of Kahns told him about the U.S. government's effort to give soldiers who had served in France the Jubilee Award. He sent a copy of his discharge papers and thought no more about it.
Several weeks later, however, he received a call informing him that he not only would receive the Jubilee Award but a review of his military record revealed he was qualified to receive a belated Bronze Star as well.
The prestigious Bronze Star is given to soldiers who carry out heroic or meritorious service in defense of their country during a battle.
A silver plate in the top of his head reminds Kahns of his sacrifice. He gets around with a walker or by riding his Little Rascal scooter, but he said he has no regrets about his service for his country.
