World War II Honoree

James Thomas Hanson

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Springhill, Louisiana

Honored By

Jeremy L. Hanson

Relationship

Grandson

STAFF SERGEANT. U.S ARMY 86TH INFANTRY DIVISION 341ST INFANTRY 3RD BATTALION HEADQUARTERS COMPANY FROM APRIL 1942 TO OCTOBER 1945. SERVED IN GERMANY, AUSTRIA, AND FRANCE. MAJOR BATTLES THE RHINE,RUHR,BAVARIA. SPENT MONTHS THROUGHOUT EUROPE WITH 34 DAYS ENGAGED IN COMBAT. THE 86TH WAS KNOWN AS THE 'BLACK HAWK' DIVISION. THE 341ST INFANTRY WAS ATTACHED TO THE 82ND AIRBORNE AND THE 8TH INFANTRY WHICH DROVE BACK ONE OF HITLER'S ARMY LAST STRONG HOLDS ALONG THE BANKS OF DANUBE RIVER IN GERMANY. HE BECAME VERY ILL WITH PNEUMONIA AND SPENT SEVERAL MONTHS IN A HOSPITAL IN PARIS, FRANCE WHERE HE ALSO DEVELOPED HEPATITIS C. HE RECEIVED THE EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN SERVICE AWARD, THE GOOD CONDUCT MEDAL AND ONE MORE MEDAL UNKNOWN.