{{Short description|U.S. Navy Vice admiral and Governor of American Samoa}} {{Use mdy dates|date=April 2015}} {{Infobox officeholder | honorific_prefix = | name = Edward William Hanson | honorific_suffix = | image = Edward W. Hanson.jpg | alt = | caption = | office = [[Governor of American Samoa]] | term_start = June 26, 1938 | term_end = July 30, 1940 | lieutenant = | predecessor = [[MacGillivray Milne]] | successor = [[Jesse Wallace]] | birth_date = February 12, 1889 | birth_place = [[Alexandria, Minnesota]], US | death_date = {{death date and age|1959|10|18|1889|2|12}} | death_place = [[La Jolla]], California, US | party = | spouse = Nina A. Hertzberg | alma_mater = [[United States Naval Academy]] | occupation = Naval officer | signature = | signature_alt = <!--Military service--> | nickname = | allegiance = United States | branch = [[United States Navy]] | service_years = 1911–1951 | rank = [[Vice admiral (United States)|Vice admiral]] | unit = | commands = {{USS|Erie|PG-50|6}}<br>{{USS|Indianapolis|CA-35|6}}<br>[[15th Naval District]]<br>[[BatDiv]] 9 | battles = [[World War I]]<br/>[[World War II]] | awards = [[Navy Cross (United States)|Navy Cross]]<br/>[[Legion of Merit]]<br/>[[Bronze Star Medal]] }}
'''Edward William Hanson''' (February 12, 1889 – October 18, 1959) was a [[United States Navy]] [[Vice admiral]] and the [[governor of American Samoa]] from June 26, 1938, to July 30, 1940.<ref>{{cite journal|last=Sorensen|first=Stan|date=June 27, 2008|title=Historical Notes|journal=Tapuitea|publisher=[[Government of American Samoa]]|volume=III|issue=26|pages=4}}</ref> As [[Governor of American Samoa]], Hanson believed that the native [[Samoan people|Samoans]] had a good way of life, and did little to interfere with established practices on the islands.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=HSohAAAAIBAJ&sjid=V34EAAAAIBAJ&pg=6831,2801358&dq=edward-hanson+samoa&hl=en|title=Bailey's South Sea Trek Influences New Fashions|date=May 5, 1939|work=[[Milwaukee Journal Sentinel|Milwaukee Journal]]|pages=16|access-date=April 2, 2010|location=[[Milwaukee]]|archive-date=January 30, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160130203312/https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=HSohAAAAIBAJ&sjid=V34EAAAAIBAJ&pg=6831,2801358&dq=edward-hanson+samoa&hl=en|url-status=dead}}</ref>
==Early years and World War I==
Edward William Hanson was born on February 12, 1889, in [[Alexandria, Minnesota]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://americansamoa.gov/history/samhist_forweb.pdf |title=The Samoan Historical Calendar, 1606–2007 |last=Sorensen |first=Stan |author2=Joseph Theroux |publisher=[[Government of American Samoa]] |pages=39 |access-date=April 2, 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090325111039/http://americansamoa.gov/history/samhist_forweb.pdf |archive-date=March 25, 2009 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=pAcKAAAAIBAJ&sjid=fUoDAAAAIBAJ&pg=1634,633192&dq=edward-hanson+navy&hl=en|title=Bledsoe Will Command Navy Base at Balboa|date=November 9, 1950|work=Ellensburg Daily Record|pages=11|access-date=April 2, 2010|location=[[Ellensburg, Washington]]}}</ref> He attended the [[United States Naval Academy]] at [[Annapolis, Maryland]] and graduated in 1911 with the rank of [[Ensign (rank)|Ensign]].<ref>{{Cite book |url=https://archive.org/details/luckybag1911unse/page/128/mode/2up |title=Lucky Bag |date=1911 |publisher=First Class, United States Naval Academy |others=Nimitz Library U. S. Naval Academy}}</ref>
With the entry of the United States into [[World War I]], [[Lieutenant (junior grade)|LTJG]] Hanson was appointed as commanding officer of {{USS|Dale|DD-4|6}}, a {{sclass|Bainbridge|destroyer}}, which patrolled [[Manila Bay]] in the summer of 1917. Hanson was ordered to [[Gibraltar]] in the same year. During the voyage to Europe, which was longer than 11,000 miles, USS ''Dale'' was under very unfavorable weather conditions. Hanson managed to sail ''Dale'' without serious damage, so the ship was ready for immediate participation in operations against the enemy. LTJG Hanson was awarded the [[Navy Cross (United States)|Navy Cross]] for his command of USS ''Dale''.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://valor.militarytimes.com/hero/9512|title=Valor awards for Edward William Hanson|publisher=militarytimes.com|access-date=October 16, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131017053729/http://projects.militarytimes.com/citations-medals-awards/recipient.php?recipientid=9512|archive-date=October 17, 2013|url-status=live}}</ref>
===Navy Cross citation===
Edward W. Hanson was awarded the Navy Cross. The official U.S. Navy citation for his Navy Cross reads:
:'''Action Date:''' Summer, 1917 :'''Name:''' Edward William Hanson :'''Service:''' Navy :'''Rank:''' Lieutenant Junior Grade :'''Company:''' Commanding Officer :'''Division:''' U.S.S. Dale :'''Citation:''' ''The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Cross to Lieutenant, Junior Grade Edward William Hanson, United States Navy, for exceptionally distinguished service in the line of his profession in Command of the U.S.S. DALE in making the trip of 11,000 miles from Manila, Philippine Islands, to Gibraltar, under very unfavorable weather conditions, during the Summer of 1917, the southwest monsoon being then at its height, and arriving in the Mediterranean with his vessel in readiness for immediate participation in the operations against enemy submarines in the Mediterranean and later in the Atlantic.''<ref>{{cite news|url=https://valor.militarytimes.com/hero/9512|title=Valor awards for Edward William Hanson|publisher=militarytimes.com|access-date=October 16, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131017053729/http://projects.militarytimes.com/citations-medals-awards/recipient.php?recipientid=9512|archive-date=October 17, 2013|url-status=live}}</ref>
==Interwar period==
After the War, Hanson served on the staff of the Harvard Naval Science Department at [[Harvard University]] and subsequently on {{USS|Black Hawk|AD-9|6}}. Hanson also attended the [[Naval War College]] in 1925.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.thecrimson.com/article/1934/10/25/government-changes-men-in-naval-science/|title=Government Changes Men in Naval Science: Four of Staff of Seven Replaced With New Men—One Added; Wellings and Purves Only Survivors|date=October 25, 1934|work=[[The Harvard Crimson]]|publisher=[[Harvard University]]|access-date=April 2, 2010|location=[[Cambridge, Massachusetts]]}}</ref> In 1927, he was transferred to {{USS|West Virginia|BB-48|6}}, where he served as Ship Engineer for almost two years. In the next years, Hanson served also aboard {{USS|Arkansas|BB-33|6}}, {{USS|Wyoming|BB-32|6}} and {{USS|Texas|BB-35|6}} as a staff officer. Between years 1931–1932 Hanson returned to ''West Virginia'' as her [[navigator]].
In July 1936, Hanson got his first command, when he was appointed commanding officer of {{USS|Erie|PG-50|6}}, a newly launched [[gunboat]]. Hanson commanded the ship during protection of American interests and citizens during the [[Spanish Civil War]]. Then USS ''Erie'' was used as a [[training ship]] for [[Midshipman|midshipmen]], operating out of the [[United States Naval Academy]] in [[Annapolis, Maryland|Annapolis]].
On June 26, 1938, Hanson was appointed the [[Governor of American Samoa]]. As Governor, he believed that the native [[Samoans]] had a good way of life, and did little to interfere with established practices on the islands.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=HSohAAAAIBAJ&sjid=V34EAAAAIBAJ&pg=6831,2801358&dq=edward-hanson+samoa&hl=en|title=Bailey's South Sea Trek Influences New Fashions|date=May 5, 1939|work=[[Milwaukee Journal Sentinel|Milwaukee Journal]]|pages=16|access-date=April 2, 2010|location=[[Milwaukee]]|archive-date=January 30, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160130203312/https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=HSohAAAAIBAJ&sjid=V34EAAAAIBAJ&pg=6831,2801358&dq=edward-hanson+samoa&hl=en|url-status=dead}}</ref> At the time of his governorship, he was a [[Commander (United States)#Naval rank|commander]].<ref>{{cite magazine|date=January 9, 1939|title=Life Goes to a Party: In Samoa to Install a New Chief of Pago Pago |magazine=[[Life (magazine)|Life]]|publisher=[[Time Inc.]]|location=New York City|pages=57|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=d00EAAAAMBAJ&q=navy+%22edward+w.+hanson%22&pg=PA57|access-date=April 2, 2010|volume=6|issue=2|issn=0024-3019}}</ref>
==World War II==
At the end of July 1940, Hanson ended his term as a Governor. He was subsequently promoted to the rank of [[Captain (United States O-6)|Captain]] and appointed the commanding officer of the [[United States Naval Station Tutuila|Naval Station Tutuila]], also in American Samoa.
In October 1941, he was appointed the commanding officer of the heavy cruiser {{USS|Indianapolis|CA-35|6}}.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/USN/USN-CN-Raids/USN-CN-Raids-2.html |title=Action Off Rabaul |publisher=Office of Naval Intelligence |access-date=12 January 2020}}</ref> Two months later (during the [[Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor]]), Hanson commanded USS ''Indianapolis'' during a training mission conducting a mock bombardment at [[Johnston Atoll]]. After the attack on Pearl Harbor, Hanson got order to search for Japanese [[aircraft carrier|carriers]] responsible for the attack, though the ship did not locate them.
Hanson subsequently commanded USS ''Indianapolis'' during the [[New Guinea campaign]] and also during the [[Aleutian Islands Campaign]] in the Pacific War. He was subsequently appointed the commander of Battleship Division 9 in July 1942.<ref>{{cite book|last=Tillman|first=Barrett|author2=Stephen Coonts|author2-link=Stephen Coonts|title=Clash of the Carriers: The True Story of the Marianas Turkey Shoot of World War II|publisher=[[Penguin Group]]|location=New York City|year=2006|pages=306|isbn=0-451-21956-2|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=C2HGbUnod68C&q=Hanson&pg=PA306|access-date=April 2, 2010|author-link=Barrett Tillman}}</ref>
Hanson commanded Battleship Division 9 for the rest of the war and spent this time in the Pacific. In August 1945, Hanson was transferred to Hawaii, where he succeeded Rear Admiral [[William R. Furlong]] as a Commander of [[Naval Station Pearl Harbor|Pearl Harbor Navy Yard]].
==Postwar service and retirement==
On February 13, 1948, Hanson was assumed command of the [[15th Naval District]], headquartered at [[Balboa, Panama|Balboa]] in the [[Panama Canal Zone]]. While in this capacity, he was decorated with [[Order of Vasco Núñez de Balboa|Order of Vasco Núñez de Balboa, rank Commander]] by Government of [[Panama]] and [[Order of Merit (Chile)|Order of Merit, rank Commander]] by [[Chile]].<ref name='Congressional Record'>{{cite book|last=Calloway|first=James R.|title=Congressional Record: Proceedings and Debates of the 88th Congress|publisher=United States Government Printing Office|location=Washington, D.C.|year=1958|pages=A182|url=https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/STATUTE-72/pdf/STATUTE-72-PgA159-3.pdf|access-date=April 9, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=gLgKAAAAIBAJ&sjid=Uk4DAAAAIBAJ&pg=6203,3871166&dq=edward-hanson&hl=en|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120715211022/http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=gLgKAAAAIBAJ&sjid=Uk4DAAAAIBAJ&pg=6203,3871166&dq=edward-hanson&hl=en|url-status=dead|archive-date=July 15, 2012|title=Navy at Panama Canal Seeks Mystery Sub|last=United Press International|author-link=United Press International|date=July 12, 1950|work=[[St. Petersburg Times]]|publisher=[[Times Publishing Company]]|pages=1|access-date=April 2, 2010|location=[[St. Petersburg, Florida]]}}</ref>
Hanson retired from the Navy with the rank of [[Vice admiral (United States)|vice admiral]] on February 1, 1951, and settled in [[La Jolla, California]] near [[San Diego]]. Edward William Hanson died there on October 18, 1959, aged 70. He is buried together with his wife Nina A. Hanson (1903–1974) at [[Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery]].
==Decorations==
Here is the ribbon bar of Vice Admiral Edward W. Hanson:<ref>{{cite news|url=https://valor.militarytimes.com/hero/9512|title=Valor awards for Edward William Hanson|publisher=militarytimes.com|access-date=October 16, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131017053729/http://projects.militarytimes.com/citations-medals-awards/recipient.php?recipientid=9512|archive-date=October 17, 2013|url-status=live}}</ref>
{| style="margin:1em auto; text-align:center;" |- |colspan="4"|{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=Navy Cross ribbon.svg|width=106|alt=}} |- |{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|other_device=v|ribbon=Legion of Merit ribbon.svg|width=106}} |{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=Bronze Star Medal ribbon with "V" device, 1st award.svg|width=106}} |{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=Mexican Service Medal ribbon.svg|width=106|alt=}} |- |{{Ribbon devices|number=1|type=service-star|ribbon=World War I Victory Medal ribbon.svg|width=106|alt=}} |{{Ribbon devices|number=1|type=service-star|ribbon=American Defense Service Medal ribbon.svg|width=106|alt=}} |{{Ribbon devices|number=4|type=service-star|other_device=bss|ribbon=Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal ribbon.svg|width=106|alt=}} |- |{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=American Campaign Medal ribbon.svg|width=106|alt=}} |{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=oak|ribbon=World War II Victory Medal ribbon.svg|width=106|alt=}} |{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=service-star|ribbon=National Defense Service Medal ribbon.svg|width=106|alt=}} |- |{{Ribbon devices|number=2|type=service-star|ribbon=Phliber rib.svg|width=106|alt=}} |{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=service-star|ribbon=PAN Order of Vasco Nunez de Balboa - Commander BAR.png|width=106|alt=}} |{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=service-star|ribbon=CHL Order of Merit of Chile - Commander BAR.png|width=106|alt=}} |} {| class="wikitable" style="margin:1em auto; text-align:center;" |- !1st Row |colspan="14"|[[Navy Cross (United States)|Navy Cross]] |- !2nd Row |colspan="3"|[[Legion of Merit]] with [["V" Device]] |colspan="3"|[[Bronze Star Medal]] with [["V" Device]] |colspan="3"|[[Mexican Service Medal]] |- !3rd Row |colspan="3"|[[World War I Victory Medal (United States)|World War I Victory Medal]] with Destroyer Clasp |colspan="3"|[[American Defense Service Medal]] with Fleet Clasp |colspan="3"|[[Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal]] with five [[Service star]]s |- !4th Row |colspan="3"|[[American Campaign Medal]] |colspan="3"|[[World War II Victory Medal (United States)|World War II Victory Medal]] |colspan="3"|[[National Defense Service Medal]] |- !5th Row |colspan="3"|[[Philippine Liberation Medal]] with two service stars |colspan="3"|[[Order of Vasco Núñez de Balboa|Order of Vasco Núñez de Balboa, rank Commander]] (Panama) |colspan="3"|[[Order of Merit (Chile)|Order of Merit, rank Commander]] (Chile) |}
==References== {{Reflist}}
{{Governors of American Samoa}} {{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hanson, Edward William}} [[Category:1889 births]] [[Category:1959 deaths]] [[Category:People from Alexandria, Minnesota]] [[Category:United States Naval Academy alumni]] [[Category:Naval War College alumni]] [[Category:United States Navy vice admirals]] [[Category:Governors of American Samoa]] [[Category:United States Navy personnel of World War I]] [[Category:United States Navy World War II admirals]] [[Category:Burials at Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery]] [[Category:Recipients of the Navy Cross (United States)]] [[Category:Recipients of the Legion of Merit]] [[Category:Military personnel from Minnesota]]