Dale M. Hansen

United States Marine (1922–1945)
the Medal of Honor recipient

Private Dale Merlin Hansen (December 13, 1922 – May 11, 1945) was a United States Marine who earned the United States' highest military decoration — the Medal of Honor — for his outstanding heroism on May 7, 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 May 11, 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 November 12, 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, April 1, 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. Pvt Hansen was killed by a Japanese sniper on May 11, 1945, in the Wana Dakeshi Ridge fighting. The Medal of Honor was presented to Hansen's parents on May 30, 1946, by the officer in charge of the Midwestern Recruiting Division as part of Wisner's Memorial Day observance. Private Hansen was initially buried in the 1st Marine Division Cemetery on Okinawa, but his remains were returned to the United States in 1948 for burial in Wisner Cemetery in Wisner, Nebraska.

Camp Hansen, one of the ten Marine Corps camps on Okinawa comprising Marine Corps Base Camp Smedley D. Butler, is named in honor of Pvt. Hansen. In 1967, a three tiered display was commissioned by the Marine Corps and given to the city of Wisner, Nebraska, Hansen's hometown. It features an oil painting of Hansen wearing his Medal of Honor, a brass plaque recognizing his achievements, and a reproduction of the citation honoring Hansen. It is on display at Wisner Pilger High School.