Hanson, Herman Edward “Hack”, born 03-01-1918, in Joliet, Will County, Illinois, United States 
to Edward Hanson, born 08-09-1883, in Illinois, and died 29-01-1944 (age 60) and his wife Tillie Hanson, born 1883 in Germany and who died 10-11-1949 age 66 in Will County, Illinois. Herman had two sisters, Ellen Tillie Hanson and Mildred Hanson. Herman was married with Jean, born Newman Hanson (1927–2005).
Herman “Hack” and childhood friend, Frank “Perco” Perconte, 
Perconte survived the war and died 24-10-2013 (age 96) in Joliet, Will County, Illinois, USA. he was a member of an Army unit that parachuted into Normandy in the triumphant D-Day invasion and later into Holland in the failed Operation Market Garden campaign that was depicted in the movie “A Bridge Too Far.” 
They together had moved to Gary, Indiana, to work, and they both enlisted in the Army together in August, 1942, “We knew we’d be drafted at some stage so we thought this way we could pick where we served” They both volunteered for the paratroopers, Hanson lied about his age and were sent to Camp Toccoa, Georgia, 
where they had a spicy training under Lieutenant Colonel Herbert Maxwell Sobel
becoming 2 of the first 4 enlisted men in Easy Company, 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment 
(with Carwood Lipton 
and Wayne “Skinny” Sisk).
Hack and Perco were initially both placed in 1st platoon, nicknamed “Currahee”, under command of Lietenat General Robert Frederick Sink 
but Hanson was later moved to 2nd platoon due to the two tricksters playing one too many jokes on the other guys when together.Hanson fought with Easy from D-Day, 
through The Netherlands, 
Bastogne, 
Germany Hitler’s Eagle Nest, 
and on to Austria and war’s end. Hanson was also good friends with Charles Ensworth “Chuck” Grant. 
Grant was shot in the head shortly after the war in Europe ended, but survived. He was supposedly shot by a replacement in “I” Company, who was later beaten severely by the members of Sergeant. Grant’s company, before being turned over to the M.P.’s. His recovery was slow, and until his death, he still had trouble talking, and his left arm was partially paralyzed.He owned a small tobbacco shop in San Francisco, where he lived until his death on 12-10-1982 (age 60) inLaguna Hills, Orange County, California.
When Grant was shot in Austria by a drunk G.I, who was getting a bit of a hiding from the men after being caught, Hanson actually pulled his pistol on the suspected perpetrator. He pulled the trigger as he was being pulled away by the other men, but the gun jammed and didn’t fire. Thankfully, Grant survived after a German surgeon operated on him after a little persuasion from Hanson and Captain Speirs.
After the accident Hanson jammed his gun to a German 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 George “Don” 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.’
Death and burial ground of Hanson, Herman Edward “Hack” “Henry”.
Hanson returned home after the war with the rank of Staff Sergeant. He was awarded the Bronze Star medal 
and 2 Purple Heart medals during his service. Hanson was shot twice in the war, but was with his unit from first day in Toccoa toward the end. Hack Hanson sadly died of a heartattack, after playing a round of golf, aged 53 on 15-05-1971, age 53, in Illinois, United States. Hack is buried at the Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery Elwood, Will County, Illinois, United States. 20953 W Hoff Road, Elwood, IL 60421, Columbarium C3-41 Row B Site 15.
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