World War II Honoree

Robert Murray Hanson

Branch of Service

U.S. Marine Corps

Hometown

Massachusetts

Honored By

Ralph Bozorth

FIRST LIEUTENANT, U.S. MARINE CORPS RESERVE. ACCREDITED TO MASSACHUSETTS. POSTHUMOUSLY AWARDED THE CONGRESSIONAL MEDAL OF HONOR. OTHER NAVY AWARDS INCLUDE THE NAVY CROSS AND AIR MEDAL. CITATION FOR CONSPICUOUS GALLANTRY AND INTREPIDITY AT THE RISK OF HIS LIFE AND ABOVE AND BEYOND THE CALL OF DUTY AS FIGHTER PILOT ATTACHED TO MARINE 215TH FIGHTING SQUADRON IN ACTION AGAINST ENEMY JAPANESE FORCES AT BOUGAINVILLE ISLAND, NOVEMBER 1, 1943 AND NEW BRITAIN ISLAND, JANUARY 24, 1944. UNDETERRED BY FIERCE OPPOSITION AND FEARLESS IN THE FACE OF OVERWHELMING ODDS, 1ST LIEUTENANT HANSON FOUGHT THE JAPANESE BOLDLY AND WITH DARING AGGRESSIVENESS. ON NOVEMBER 1, 1943 WHILE FLYING COVER FOR OUR LANDING OPERATIONS AT EMPRESS AUGUSTA BAY, DAUNTLESSLY ATTACKED SIX ENEMY TORPEDO BOMBERS, FORCING THEM TO JETTISON THEIR BOMBS AND DESTROYING ONE JAPANESE PLANE DURING THE ACTION. CUT OFF FROM HIS DIVISION WHILE DEEP IN ENEMY TERRITORY DURING A HIGH COVER FLIGHT OVER SIMPSON HARBOR ON JANUARY 24, 1944 1ST LIEUTENANT HANSON WAGED A LONE AND GALLANT BATTLE AGAINST HOSTILE INTERCEPTORS AS THEY WERE ORBITING TO ATTACK OUR BOMBERS AND STRIKING WITH DEVASTATING FURY, BROUGHT DOWN FOUR ZEROES AND PROBABLY A FIFTH. HANDLING HIS PLANE SUPERBLY IN BOTH PURSUIT AND ATTACK MEASURES, HE WAS A MASTER OF INDIVIDUAL AIR COMBAT, ACCOUNTING FOR A TOTAL OF 25 JAPANESE AIRCRAFT IN THIS THEATER OF OPERATIONS. HIS GREAT PERSONAL VALOR AND INVINCIBLE FIGHTING SPIRIT WERE IN KEEPING WITH THE HIGHEST TRADITIONS OF THE U.S. NAVAL SERVICE.