Edward William Hanson was born on February 12, 1889 in Alexandria, Minnesota. He attended the United States Naval Academy at Annapolis, Maryland and graduated in 1911 with the rank of Ensign. With the entry of the United States into World War I, LTJG Hanson was appointed as commanding officer of, a, which patrolled Manila Bayin the summer of 1917. Hanson was ordered to Gibraltar in the same year. During the voyage to Europe, which was longer than 11,000 miles, USS Dale was under very unfavorable weather conditions. Hanson managed to sail Dale without serious damage, so the ship was ready for immediate participation in operations against the enemy. LTJG Hanson was awarded the Navy Cross for his command of USS Dale.
Navy Cross citation
Edward W. Hanson was awarded the Navy Cross. The official U.S. Navy citation for his Navy Cross reads:
Interwar period
After the War, Hanson served on the staff of the Harvard Naval Science Department at Harvard University and subsequently on. Hanson also attended the Naval War College in 1925. In 1927, he was transferred to, where he served as Ship Engineer for almost two years. In the next years, Hanson served also aboard, and as a staff officer. Between years 1931–1932 Hanson served back on USS West Virginia as navigator. In July 1936, Hanson got his first command, when he was appointed commanding officer of, a newly launched gunboat. Hanson commanded the ship during protection of American interests and citizens during the Spanish Civil War. Then USS Erie was used as a training ship for midshipmen, operating out of the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis. On June 26, 1938 was Hanson appointed the Governor of American Samoa. As Governor, he believed that the native Samoans had a good way of life, and did little to interfere with established practices on the islands. At the time of his governorship, he was a Commander.
World War II
At the end of July 1940, Hanson ended his term as a Governor. He was subsequently promoted to the rank of Captain and appointed the commanding officer of the Naval Station Tutuila, also in American Samoa. In October 1941, he was appointed the commanding officer of the heavy cruiser. A two months later, Hanson commanded USS Indianapolis during a training mission conducting a mock bombardment at Johnston Atoll. After the attack on Pearl Harbor, Hanson got order to search for Japanese carriers responsible for the attack, though the ship did not locate them. Hanson subsequently commanded USS Indianapolis during the New Guinea campaign and also during the Aleutian Islands Campaign in the Pacific War. He was subsequently appointed the commander of Battleship Division 9 in July 1942. Hanson commanded Battleship Division 9 for the rest of the war and spent this time in the Pacific. In August 1945, Hanson was transferred to Hawaii, where he succeeded Rear Admiral William R. Furlong as a Commander of Pearl Harbor Navy Yard.
