Herman Hanson

Staff Sergeant Herman "Hack" Hanson (3 January 1918 - 15 May 1971) was a non-commissioned officer with Easy Company, 2nd Battalion, 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, in the 101st Airborne Division of the United States Army during World War II. He was one of the original 140 Toccoa men of Easy Company. Hanson's life story was featured in the 2010 book A Company of Heroes: Personal Memories about the Real Band of Brothers and the Legacy They Left Us.

Hanson was born in Joliet, Illinois and was childhood friends with Frank Perconte, who moved into his neighborhood when he was about ten. Both went to work at Gary Works in Gary, Indiana upon graduation from high school. Knowing they were eventually going to be drafted, Hanson and Perconte decided to enlist in the Airborne after seeing a short about U.S. paratroopers at the Rialto Square Theater.

Hanson enlisted in the US Army and volunteered for paratroopers with Frank Perconte, and they become two of the first four privates in Easy Company along with Wayne Sisk and Carwood Lipton. Hanson made his first combat jump on D-Day into Normandy. He also participated into Operation Market Garden and the Battle of the Bulge.

While in Berchtesgaden, staff sergeant Charles 'Chuck' Grant was shot by a drunken replacement soldier. Hanson was Grant's best friend, and he was the only one that attempted to kill the drunken GI. He was pulled away by other men and the gun misfired. When the German doctor that checked on Grant said that operation on Grant would be useless, as Grant would surely die from the shock, Hanson jammed his gun to the doctor's head and asked him to save Grant. The doctor reconsidered, and successfully saved Grant's life. Later in the banquet that was organized to honor the doctor for saving Grant's life, the doctor asked Donald Malarkey, "By the way, do you think that man would have shot me?" Malarkey answered without hesitation, "I think he would have". The doctor replied, "Please thank him for pulling the gun on me".

Hanson was shot twice in the war, but was with his unit from first day in Toccoa toward the end.

Hanson went to Roosevelt University and studied journalism before the war. He obtained his degree after the war in University of Missouri.

Hanson got a job with Sears, Roebuck and later became one of the vice presidents with the company. He worked in Chicago, where he met his wife Jean Newman.

Hanson died on 15 May 1971 due to acute coronary occlusion after playing a round of golf.