Jack G. Hanson

Infobox Military Person
name= Jack G. Hanson
born= birth date|1930|9|18
died= death date and age|1951|6|7|1930|9|18
placeofbirth= Escaptawpa, Mississippi
placeofdeath= Near Pachi-dong, Korea
placeofburial=


caption= Medal of Honor recipient
nickname=
allegiance= United States of America
branch= United States Army
serviceyears= -1951
rank= Private First Class
unit=Company F, 31st Infantry Regiment, 7th Infantry Division
battles= Korean War
awards= Medal of Honor Purple Heart

Jack G. Hanson (September 18, 1930 – June 7, 1951) was a soldier in the U.S. Army during the Korean War. He was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions on June 7, 1951. Many members of F Company owe Jack Hanson their lives. [ [http://31stinfantry.org/Documents/Chapter%2012.pdf Chapter 12 BACK TO THE OFFENSIVE—1951] URL retrieved December 16, 2006]

Medal of Honor citation

Rank and organization: Private First Class, U.S. Army, Company F, 31st Infantry Regiment, 7th Infantry Division

Place and date: Near Pachi-dong, Korea, June 7, 1951

Entered service at: Galveston, Tex. Born: September 18, 1930, Escaptawpa, Miss.

G.O. No.: 15, February 1, 1952

Citation:

:Pfc. Hanson, a machine gunner with the 1st Platoon, Company F, distinguished himself by conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty in action against an armed enemy of the United Nations. The company, in defensive positions on two strategic hills separated by a wide saddle, was ruthlessly attacked at approximately 0300 hours, the brunt of which centered on the approach to the divide within range of Pfc. Hanson's machine gun. In the initial phase of the action, 4 riflemen were wounded and evacuated and the numerically superior enemy, advancing under cover of darkness, infiltrated and posed an imminent threat to the security of the command post and weapons platoon. Upon orders to move to key terrain above and to the right of Pfc. Hanson's position, he voluntarily remained to provide protective fire for the withdrawal. Subsequent to the retiring elements fighting a rearguard action to the new location, it was learned that Pfc. Hanson's assistant gunner and 3 riflemen had been wounded and had crawled to safety, and that he was maintaining a lone-man defense. After the 1st Platoon reorganized, counterattacked, and resecured its original positions at approximately 0530 hours, Pfc. Hanson's body was found lying in front of his emplacement, his machine gun ammunition expended, his empty pistol in his right hand, and a machete with blood on the blade in his left hand, and approximately 22 enemy dead lay in the wake of his action. Pfc. Hanson's consummate valor, inspirational conduct, and willing self-sacrifice enabled the company to contain the enemy and regain the commanding ground, and reflect lasting glory on himself and the noble traditions of the military service.cite web
accessdate=2007-12-31
url = http://www.history.army.mil/html/moh/koreanwar.html
title = "JACK G. HANSON" entry
work = Medal of Honor Recipients: Korean War
date = July 16, 2007
publisher= CMH, U.S. Army]

ee also

*List of Medal of Honor recipients
*List of Korean War Medal of Honor recipients

Notes

References

*cite web
accessdate=2007-12-31
url = http://www.history.army.mil/html/moh/koreanwar.html
title = "JACK G. HANSON" entry
work = Medal of Honor Recipients: Korean War
date = July 16, 2007
publisher= Center of Military History (CMH), United States Army

Persondata
NAME= Hanson, Jack G.
ALTERNATIVE NAMES=
SHORT DESCRIPTION= United States Army Medal of Honor recipient
DATE OF BIRTH=
PLACE OF BIRTH=
DATE OF DEATH=
PLACE OF DEATH=