Pvt. Dale Hansen

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DALE M HANSEN
PRIVATE, USMCR


Marine Private Dale Merlin Hansen was awarded the Nation's highest decoration for his gallantry in action at Okinawa on 7 May 1945. He was killed by a Japanese sniper just four days later - on the first anniversary of his entrance into the Marine Corps.

Born 13 December 1922, at Wisner, Nebraska, Private Hansen was the son of Peter and Lillian Hansen. While attending the schools of Cuming County, he helped out on the family farm, and after graduating from high school at Wisner in 1940, he worked full-time on the farm. For relaxation he played sandlot baseball and softball or went horseback riding.

The five-foot-nine, 141-pound Nebraska farmer was inducted into the Marine Corps on 11 May 1944. He completed "boot camp" at San Diego, California, and after that, was assigned to the Infantry Training Battalion at Camp Pendleton, California, where he underwent four weeks of infantry indoctrination and two weeks of training with the Browning Automatic Rifle. With that weapon he turned in a score of 175 to become an Expert Automatic Rifleman.

Private Hansen sailed for the Pacific theater on 12 November 1944, with a replacement draft, and the following month, joined Company E of the 2d Battalion, 1st Marines, at Pavuvu in the Russell Islands. There, he underwent "bazooka" training before sailing with the 1st Marine Division for maneuvers at Banika Island and Guadalcanal in February 1945. Late that March, after a few more days back at Pavuvu, the division left for Okinawa where Hansen where landed with it on Easter Sunday, 1 April. The action which brought him the Medal of Honor occurred in the battle for Hill 60 on the southern part of the island and he was killed on May 11th in the Wana-Dakeshi Ridge fighting.

The Medal of Honor was presented to Private Hansen's parents on 30 May 1946, by the officer in charge of the Midwestern Recruiting Division as part of Wisner's Memorial Day observance.

Private Hansen was initially buried in the 1st Marine Division Cemetery on Okinawa, but his remains were returned to the United States in 1948 for burial in Wisner, Nebraska.

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HANSEN, DALE MERLIN

Rank and organization: Private, U.S. Marine Corps. Born: 13 December 1922, Wisner, Nebr. Accredited to: Nebraska.

Citation:
For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving with Company E, 2d Battalion, 1st Marines, 1st Marine Division, in action against enemy Japanese forces on Okinawa Shima in the Ryukyu Chain, 7 May 1945. Cool and courageous in combat, Pvt. Hansen unhesitatingly took the initiative during a critical stage of the action and, armed with a rocket launcher, crawled to an exposed position where he attacked and destroyed a strategically located hostile pillbox. With his weapon subsequently destroyed by enemy fire, he seized a rifle and continued his 1-man assault. Reaching the crest of a ridge, he leaped across, opened fire on 6 Japanese and killed 4 before his rifle jammed. Attacked by the remaining 2 Japanese, he beat them off with the butt of his rifle and then climbed back to cover. Promptly returning with another weapon and supply of grenades, he fearlessly advanced, destroyed a strong mortar position and annihilated 8 more of the enemy. In the forefront of battle throughout this bitterly waged engagement, Pvt. Hansen, by his indomitable determination, bold tactics and complete disregard of all personal danger, contributed essentially to the success of his company's mission and to the ultimate capture of this fiercely defended outpost of the Japanese Empire. His great personal valor in the face of extreme peril reflects the highest credit upon himself and the U.S. Naval Service.

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In case anyone ever assigned to Camp Hansen in Okinawa wonders why it was named for this Marine.