World War II Honoree
World War II Veteran
Warren A. Hansen
Branch of Service
U.S. Army
Hometown
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Honored By
Robert S. Cox
ENLISTED IN MILITARY SERVICE IN LATE 1942. SERVED AS A TRUCK VEHICLE MECHANIC OVERSEAS IN THE EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN THEATER WITH A TRANSPORTATION COMPANY IN THE THIRD ARMY DURING THE WAR. HIS COMPANY LANDED ACROSS OMAHA BEACH IN NORMANDY, FRANCE A FEW DAYS AFTER THE D-DAY INVASION ON JUNE 6, 1944. THEN, MOVED ACROSS FRANCE AND GERMANY UNTIL THE END OF THE WAR IN EUROPE. PARTICIPATED IN THE NORMANDY, NORTHERN FRANCE, RHINELAND, AND CENTRAL EUROPE CAMPAIGNS. HE TRAVELLED FREQUENTLY WITH LARGE TRUCK CONVOYS DELIVERING TROOPS, AMMUNITION, FUEL AND OTHER ITEMS OF SUPPLY TO FORWARD UNITS. HIS JOB WAS TO KEEP THE TRUCKS RUNNING IN THE MIDST OF THE CHAOS OF WAR. HAZARDS FROM ENEMY FIRE, LAND MINES AND BOOBY TRAPS WERE EVER PRESENT. AN ENEMY BOMB ONCE LANDED NEXT TO HIS FOXHOLE, BUT LUCKILY FAILED TO DETONATE. ONE OF HIS MORE JOYFUL MOMENTS WAS AFTER HIS UNIT CROSSED THE RHINE RIVER INTO GERMANY AND DISCOVERED A WAREHOUSE IN TRIER FILLED WITH BOXES OF COGNAC. THERE WAS QUITE A PARTY SHORTLY AFTER THE DISCOVERY AND CONFISCATION OF THE LIBATION. WHEN HE RECEIVED A TELEGRAM THAT HIS WIFE HAD DELIVERED THEIR BABY DAUGHTER AND HE WAS NOW A FATHER, THERE WAS ALL THE MORE REASON TO CELEBRATE. TOWARD THE END OF HOSTILITIES, HE WAS AMONG THE SOLDIERS WHO LIBERATED PRISONERS FROM GERMAN CONCENTRATION CAMPS. HE WITNESSED THE HORROR OF THE DACHAU CAMP, NEAR MUNICH, GERMANY, AND SAW INTERNEES WHO WERE SO EMACIATED THAT MALES WERE INDISTINGUISHABLE FROM FEMALES, LIKE SKELETONS WITH SKIN STRETCHED OVER. AFTER THE END OF THE WAR IN EUROPE (V-E DAY) ON MAY 8, 1945, HIS UNIT CONTINUED TRANSPORT OPERATIONS, INCLUDING TAKING REFUGEES BACK TO THEIR HOME COUNTRIES. A FOND MEMORY OF THIS PERIOD WAS LISTENING TO THEM SING THEIR NATIVE FOLK SONGS WHILE EN ROUTE. AWARDED THE GOOD CONDUCT MEDAL, AMERICAN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, WWII VICTORY MEDAL, AND ARMY OF OCCUPATION MEDAL WITH ‘GERMANY’ CLASP. HONORABLY DISCHARGED AND ISSUED THE HONORABLE SERVICE LAPEL BUTTON.