John David Hanson
Era: World War II
Military Branch: Army
HANSON, John David
John David Hanson was born on May 9th 1917 to Joseph Robert & Agnes [Langestaff] Hanson in Duluth, Minnesota.
Mr. Hanson entered the Army Air Corps in 1939. He atended flight training in Texas and Alabama and was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant.
LT Hanson served as a pilot, flight instructor, gunnery instructor and multi-engine flight instructor (B-24 Liberator, B-26 bombers, C-54 cargo and C-119 cargo aircraft). He was shipped overseas in March 1944, to Africa, Western Europe, Southern France, and Rome-Arno, Italy.
Mr. Hanson also served in Korea and French Indochina 1952-53. He went on a total of 202 combat missions and held the rank of captain.
CPT Hanson was awarded the following during his service:
- Distinguished Flying Cross,
- Air Medal with three oak leaf clusters,
- Presidential Unit Citation,
- European-African-Middle East Campaign Service Medal with three bronze battle stars,
- American Campaign Medal, -and-
- World War II Victory Medal.
He was honorably discharged from the Air Force Reserve in 1959 with the rank of Major. After WWII, he returned home and married Margaret Watt [Hankins] and they started a family. He was a member of the VFW and American Legion Posts in Ely, Minnesota.
Mr. Hanson died on June 15th 1996 at the age of 79 years old. He was buried at Oneota Cemetery in Duluth, Minnesota.
Source: Hometown Heroes: The St. Louis County World War II Project. 101.
Albert J. Amatuzio Research Center | Veterans Memorial Hall (vets-hall.org)
Page 1 WWII Draft Registration Cards - Fold3
John David “Jack” Hanson (1917-1996) - Find a Grave Memorial
U.S., Department of Veterans Affairs BIRLS Death File, 1850-2010 - Ancestry.com
