ROBERT F. HANSEN, LCDR, USN
Robert Hansen '52
Lucky Bag
From the 1952 Lucky Bag:
Robert Frederick Hansen
La Crosse, Wisconsin
After graduating from a La Crosse, Wisconsin, high school in 1946, Bob spent two years attending college and working before coming to "Navy Tech." No great athlete, he divided his time between company cross-country, steeplechase and battalion track during his stay at Navy. A lover of good music, he was a four-year man in the "Hell Cats," declaring it to be the best Drum and Bugle Corps in existence. Well impressed by summer cruises, Bob's destination is the Line, unless a certain air-minded OAO gets her way.
Robert Frederick Hansen
La Crosse, Wisconsin
After graduating from a La Crosse, Wisconsin, high school in 1946, Bob spent two years attending college and working before coming to "Navy Tech." No great athlete, he divided his time between company cross-country, steeplechase and battalion track during his stay at Navy. A lover of good music, he was a four-year man in the "Hell Cats," declaring it to be the best Drum and Bugle Corps in existence. Well impressed by summer cruises, Bob's destination is the Line, unless a certain air-minded OAO gets her way.
Loss
Robert was lost on August 14, 1963 when the plane he was piloting crashed into the Mediterranean Sea. He was a member of Carrier Airborne Early Warning Squadron (VAW) 12.
Other Information
From the Winona Daily News (Winona, Minnesota) on 15 August, 1963:
La Crosse Man On Missing Plane
NORFOLK, Va. -- Two men, one from Wisconsin, were missing and presumed dead and three others were injured when a plane ditched in the Mediterranean Tuesday night, the Navy said Wednesday.
Presumed dead are Lt. Cmdr. Robert F Hansen, 36, the pilot, and James H Dorrell, 19, Aviation Electronics Technician 3.C.
Hansen was the son of Herbert G. Hansen of La Crosse, Wis. His wife, Mrs. Jean T. Hansen, lived in Norfolk.
Dorrell was the son of Mr. and Mrs. Henry C. Dorrell of Route 1, Weed, Calif.
The Navy plane, an E1B Tracer, had engine trouble soon after it took off from the carrier Enterprise during antisubmarine warfare exercises. The craft ditched between the carrier and a destroyer.
The carrier Enterprise is operating with the U.S. 6th Fleet.
From researcher Kathy Franz:
Robert graduated from La Crosse High School in 1946. His yearbook description: B-Industrial - - Hall Guide 2. “Bob” - - Ambition, engineer - - Philosophy of life, Take it easy - - Advice to sophs, Don't work after school - - Pet peeve, people who stare at others - - Appreciates freedom of expression at Central.
He then attended La Crosse State Teachers College, now University of Wisconsin, La Crosse.
He won a presidential appointment to the Naval Academy. He graduated last in his class and according to tradition was made a member of the Anchor Club. He was given a special cheer followed by presentation of a papier-mâché anchor. Then he was hoisted to the shoulders of his classmates.
On his summer cruise in 1949, he was aboard USS T. E. Fraser, a high speed mine vessel. They visited Cherbourg, France, and stopped at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, for gunnery exercises and training before returning to the United States.
In August 1951, he was on the battleship USS Missouri.
Robert's father Herbert was a retired employee of the Rubber Mills; his mother was Christine. Robert and his wife Jean had three children: Patricia Ann, John B., and Barbara.
He has a memory marker in Wisconsin.
Photographs
From The La Crosse Tribune on June 6, 1952
Robert as a Midshipman, from The La Crosse Tribune on May 25, 1952.
From The La Crosse Tribune on August 5, 1951
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