George James Hanson, 16 Aug 1924 – 21 Dec 2012

HANSON, ARMSTEAD, EDWARDS, PAULY, KNIGHT, MCDONALD, LOWER

Posted By: Sandy Ficken (email)
Date: 1/4/2013 at 16:45:31

George Hanson, 88

Funeral Mass for George J. Hanson, 88, Williamsburg, was held at 10:30 a.m. Friday, Dec. 28, at St. Mary’s Catholic Church, Williamsburg. He died Friday, Dec. 21, 2012, at his home in Phoenix, Ariz.

The Rev. Joseph Roost officiated at the service.

Burial was in St. Mary’s Catholic Cemetery with military rites by Iburg Poulson VFW Post 8797.

Pall bearers were Chad Hanson, Nicholas Hanson, Don Lower, Kurt Maas, Robert Kozishek and John Hanson. Honorary pall bearers were Bob Lower, Pat Hanson, Randy Maas, Tish Lower, Paul Hanson and Frank Lower.

Memorials may be made to St. Mary’s Cemetery, Friends of Old St. Michael’s or Safe Haven of Iowa County.

Powell Funeral Home, Williamsburg, was in charge of arrangements. Messages and tributes may be left at www.powellfuneralhomes.com.

George James Hanson was born Aug. 16, 1924, near Williamsburg, the son of Thomas E. and Mary E. (Armstead) Hanson. He graduated from Parnell High School. He was drafted in February 1944, while living on the family farm near Williamsburg.

Following base training at Kessler Field, Biloxi, Miss., he was sent to Lowry Field in Denver for 12 weeks of central fire control school for the B-29. From there he was sent to Clovis, Minn., where he joined Captain Ken Moore’s crew as a central fire control gunner.
After several months of training, first on the B017, then on the B-29, he was sent to Saipan where he was part of the 73rd Bomb Wing, 498th Bomb Group and the 873rd Bomb Squadron. He completed 35 combat missions.

After the Marines captured Iwo Jima, he landed on Iwo Jima four times for emergency fuel and repairs. His first mission was Feb. 26, 1945, and his 35th and last mission was Aug. 5, 1945. The next day the atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima.

George’s crew was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross and the Air Medal with four oak leaf clusters. Being a replacement crew, George and his crew flew 14 different B-29s during his tour. He and the other gunners from his crew were credited with shooting down four Japanese planes.

He was discharged Nov. 3, 1945, after serving 22 months, and returned to the farm.

He married Roberta H. Edwards Sept. 3, 1949, in Holbrook. He farmed east of Williamsburg all of his life. He was a former member of St. Michael’s Catholic Church, Holbrook, and a present member of St. Mary’s Catholic Church; a third degree Knights of Columbus and a member of Iburg Poulson VFW Post 8797, Williamsburg.

He and his wife enjoyed wintering in Arizona.

Hanson is survived by his wife, Roberta, Phoenix; their children, Mike Hanson and Roberta S. Hanson, both Phoenix; three grandchildren, Chad and Angela Hanson, Cedar Rapids; Robbie and Brian Pauly, Mason City, and Nicholas Hanson, Phoenix; four great-grandchildren and one brother, Thomas and Sally Hanson, Denver, Colo.

He was preceded in death by his parents; one son, Terry Hanson; four sisters, Helen Knight, Catherine McDonald, Norma Hanson and Mary Laurine Lower, and two brothers, Clement Hanson and Joseph Hanson.

The Williamsburg Journal Tribune, Iowa County Obituaries – 03 Jan 2013, Pg 9
Published in The Gazette Dec. 25, 2012.