Robert Murray Hanson-Newton, MA
Posted by: 
Don.Morfe
N 42° 19.962 W 071° 12.726
19T E 317752 N 4689086
World War II Medal of Honor Recipient for action as a fighter pilot over Bouginville Island on November 1, 1943 and New Britain Island on January 24, 1944. He was killed in action. His body was never recovered and his cenotaph marker is in Newton Cemetery, Newton MA in Section L, Lot 118.
Waymark Code: WMX081
Location: Massachusetts, United States
Date Posted: 11/07/2017
Views: 0
He was born on February 4, 1920 in Lucknow, India and died on February 3, 1944 at sea. He attained the rank of Captain in the US Marine Corps. His Medal of Honor information and citation is: *HANSON, ROBERT MURRAY
• Rank and organization: First Lieutenant, U.S. Marine Corps Reserve
• Other Navy awards: Navy Cross, Air Medal
Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life and above and beyond the call of duty as fighter pilot attached to Marine Fighting Squadron 215 in action against enemy Japanese forces at Bougainville Island, 1 November 1943; and New Britain Island, 24 January 1944. Undeterred by fierce opposition, and fearless in the face of overwhelming odds, 1st Lt. Hanson fought the Japanese boldly and with daring aggressiveness. On 1 November, while flying cover for our landing operations at Empress Augusta Bay, he dauntlessly attacked 6 enemy torpedo bombers, forcing them to jettison their bombs and destroying 1 Japanese plane during the action. Cut off from his division while deep in enemy territory during a high cover flight over Simpson Harbor on 24 January, 1st Lt. Hanson waged a lone and gallant battle against hostile interceptors as they were orbiting to attack our bombers and, striking with devastating fury, brought down 4 Zeroes and probably a fifth. Handling his plane superbly in both pursuit and attack measures, he was a master of individual air combat, accounting for a total of 25 Japanese aircraft in this theater of war. His great personal valor and invincible fighting spirit were in keeping with the highest traditions of the U.S. Naval Service.
Armed Service: Marines
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