b. 13/12/1922 Wisner, Nebraska. d. 11/05/1945 Okinawa, Japan.
DATE OF MOH ACTION: 07/05/1945 Okinawa, Japan.
Dale M Hansen MOH
Dale Hansen was born in Wisner, Nebraska. While attending the schools of Cuming County, he helped out on the family farm, and after graduating from high school in Wisner in 1940, he worked full-time on the farm.
Hansen was inducted into the Marine Corps Reserve on May 11, 1944. He completed recruit training at the Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego, California, and was then 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 November 12, 1944, with a replacement draft, and the following month, joined Company E, 2nd 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 Pvt Hansen landed with his unit on Easter Sunday, April 1, 1945. The action which brought him the Medal of Honor occurred in the battle for Hill 60 on the southern part of the island where his determination and total disregard of personal danger helped his unit take a well-defended enemy position.
Pvt Hansen was killed by a Japanese sniper on May 11, 1945, in the Wana-Dakeshi Ridge fighting. The Medal of Honor was presented to Hansen’s parents on May 30, 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 Cemetery in Wisner, Nebraska.
MOH CITATION:
For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at 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 one-man assault. Reaching the crest of a ridge, he leaped across, opened fire on six Japanese, and killed four before his rifle jammed. Attacked by the remaining two 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 eight 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.
BURIAL LOCATION: WISNER CEMETERY, WISNER, NEBRASKA.
LOCATION OF MEDAL: FAMILY.
