June 7, 1951, near Pachi-Dong, Korea the men of 1st Platoon, Company F set up on two strategically located hilltops.
A wide saddle separated the men from each other, but they had no choice — they needed to hold those hills.Â
The men of 1st Platoon did everything they could to hold their position, but discretion was the better part of valor. They were overrun and needed to retreat to higher ground where a new perimeter could be set. For this to be accomplished though, the men needed cover fire as they withdrew.
Five men remained…one of them was Private First Class, Jack G. Hanson — a 21-year-old hailing from Texas.
Jack Hanson
Hanson volunteered to cover his friends, manning his machine gun as they withdrew.
As the battle raged on, the men with Hanson became wounded. It’s not until the last of them crawls back to the rally point that they realize Hanson was alone to fight.
It was two and a half hours until 1st Platoon took back the ground, fighting non-stop for hours in the middle of the night.
The Death of a Hero
Once the men returned to Hanson’s position, they found him…dead — the machine gun ammo expended, an empty pistol in his right hand, and a blood-soaked machete in his left. Around him laid 22 dead enemies.Â
Despite overwhelming odds and being completely alone, Hanson didn’t give up. He died a hero’s death.Â
Everything is bigger in Texas, and apparently resolve is no exception to the rule. Jack G. Hanson gave his life to protect his friends and earned a posthumous Medal of Honor.
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