Dale M. Hansen
| Dale Merlin Hansen | |
|---|---|
 
Dale M. Hansen, Medal of Honor recipient
|
|
| Born |
December 13, 1922 Wisner, Nebraska |
| Died | May 11, 1945 (aged 22) KIA on Okinawa |
| Place of burial | initially the 1st Marine Division Cemetery Okinawa Later reinterred in Wisner Cemetery in Wisner, Nebraska |
| Allegiance | United States of America |
| Service/branch | United States Marine Corps |
| Years of service | 1944-1945 |
| Rank | Private |
| Unit | 2nd Battalion 1st Marines |
| Battles/wars |
World War II *Battle of Okinawa |
| Awards |
Medal of Honor Purple Heart |
| Other work | Farmer |
Private Dale Merlin Hansen (December 13, 1922 – May 11, 1945) was a United States Marine who earned his nation's highest military decoration — the Medal of Honor — for his outstanding heroism on 7 May 1945 in the fight for Hill 60 on Okinawa. He was killed by enemy sniper fire three days later.
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 11 May 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 12 November 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, 1 April 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.
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