William T. Hanna    

 
William T. Hanna was born 23 October 1920 in New York, N.Y. Private Hanna enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps 14 January 1942 at New York. He was killed in action 9 October 1942 while attached to the 1st Marine Division Reinforced on Guadalcanal. His unit received the Presidential Unit Citation for outstanding gallantry and determination in successfully executing forced landing assaults against a number of strongly defended Japanese positions on various Japanese strongholds including Guadalcanal. For his undaunted courage, Private Hanna was posthumously awarded the Navy Cross and Purple Heart. “Fighting desperately in hand-to-hand combat against overwhelming hostile forces, Private Hanna refused to be dislodged from his position and after exacting a tremendous toll of the enemy, heroically died at his post.”
 
 
USS Hanna DE-449 
 Displacement: 1,350 t.
     Length: 306’
     
    Beam: 36’8”
     Draft: 9’5”
      Speed: 24 k.
    Complement: 186
 Armament: 2 5”; 4 40mm; 10 20mm; 2 depth charge tracks; 8 hedge hogs
    
Class: JOHN C. BUTLER

    
 
    

      HANNA (DE-449) was launched 4 July 1944 by
      the Federal Shipbuilding & Drydock Co.,
      Newark, N.J.; sponsored by Mrs. William P.
      Hanna, mother; and commissioned 27 January
      1945, Lt. Comdr. Means Johnston, Jr., in
      command.

      

        After shakedown out of Bermuda and
        Guantanamo Bay, HANNA returned to New York
        24 March 1945. Departing New York 9 April,
        she escorted ammunition ship AKUTAN
        (AE-13) to Cristobal, Canal Zone, then
        sailed via San Diego arriving Pearl Harbor
        4 May. After more intensive training and
        various escort missions in Hawaiian
        waters, HANNA sailed 9 June for Eniwetok
        where she took up duty with
        Marshall-Gilberts Surface Patrol and
        Escort Group. This duty continued until 28
        September after the Japanese surrender.
        Then she and the U.S. prize TACHIBANA MARU
        formed the task unit to evacuate Japanese
        soldiers and sailors from Wake Island.
        Embarking 700 passengers they reached
        Tokyo 12 October. The U.S. Navy crew was
        withdrawn; the United States ensign hauled
        down; and TACHIBABA MARU turned over to
        the Japanese.
      

      
 
      

        Departing Tokyo 24 October 1945, HANNA
        returned to Eniwetok and then sailed to
        Guam, where she took up duty as air-sea
        rescue and weather reporting ship. She
        continued this important task until her
        return to the States, where she
        decommissioned at San Diego 31 May 1946
        and joined the Pacific Reserve Fleet
        
 
        

          HANNA recommissioned at San Diego 27
          December 1950, Lt. Comdr. C. W. Ward in
          command to augment Navy strength in the
          Korean conflict.
          
 
          

            Once more an active unit of the
            Pacific Fleet, HANNA served with
            Escort Squadron 9 until 16 April 1951
            when she sailed for the Western
            Pacific. Here, she served as patrol
            ship in the Formosa Straits. In June
            1951, HANNA joined Task Force 95 for
            blockading and escort duties off the
            west coast of Korea. In August, while
            on shore bombardment mission in Wonsan
            Harbor, HANNA was instrumental in
            silencing enemy shore batteries after
            a duel lasting more than 2 hours.
            During the ensuing months HANNA served
            gallantly, operating with the
            Blockading and Escort Forces of Task
            Force 95. She was part of the
            antisubmarine and antiaircraft screen
            for our aircraft carriers launching
            repeated strikes against the
            Communists. Early November 1951, HANNA
            was detached for the United States,
            reaching San Diego 26 November for
            overhaul.
            
 
            

              Three months later, HANNA returned
              to the western Pacific and resumed
              her shore bombardment missions in
              addition to escorting damaged
              vessels and investigation of fishing
              craft. She returned to San Diego 9
              June 1953. After operations off the
              California coast, HANNA departed 19
              November for an island-hopping
              cruise of the Central Pacific,
              returning to San Diego 6 June 1954.
              
 
              

                Between 9 November 1954 and 28
                July 1957, HANNA made three more
                deployments to the western
                Pacific. On her last deployment,
                HANNA took up patrolling the
                Central Carolines, Northern
                Marianas, the Bonins, and the
                Volcano Islands. In addition she
                participated in a rescue mission
                involving the Chinese Nationalist
                Merchantman SS PING TUNG that had
                run aground on Yokoate Shima, an
                island of the Ryukyu chain.
                
 
                

                  HANNA's home port was changed to
                  Long Beach 26 November 1957 and
                  she was designated a Naval
                  Reserve Training Ship. She
                  commenced the first of her
                  reserve training cruises 6
                  February 1958 to Manzanillo,
                  Mexico, and from that date until
                  27 August 1959 made 18 such
                  cruises in addition to numerous
                  weekend cruises. HANNA
                  decommissioned at Mare Island 11
                  December 1959 and joined the
                  Pacific Reserve Fleet.
                

                

                  

                  



	HANNA received five stars for Korean service.

                  

                

                

                  

                  



	[Stricken from the Navy Register on 1 December 1972, 

HANNA was sold on 3 December 1973.

                  

                

                

                  

                  



K. Jack Bauer and Stephen S. Roberts, “Register of Ships of 

the U. S. Navy, 1775-1990,” p.237.]

                  

                

                

                  

                  
 

                  

                

                

                  

                  

From the “Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships,” 

1968, Vol. 3, p.236.

                  

                

                

                  

                  




Transcribed by Michael Hansen

mhansen2@home.com