HANSON, THOMAS PATTERSON

Name: Thomas Patterson Hanson
Rank/Branch: O2/US Air Force
Unit:
Date of Birth: 18 April 1941
Home City of Record: Miami FL
Date of Loss: 05 September 1967
Country of Loss: North Vietnam
Loss Coordinates: 171300N 1064500E (XE869042)
Status (in 1973): Missing in Action
Category: 2
Aircraft/Vehicle/Ground: F4C
Refno: 0828

Other Personnel in Incident: Carl D. Miller; on another F4C nearby: Donald
W. Downing; Paul D. Raymond (all missing)

Source: Compiled by Homecoming II Project 01 September 1990 from one or more
of the following: raw data from U.S. Government agency sources,
correspondence with POW/MIA families, published sources, interviews. Updated
by the P.O.W. NETWORK 2020..

REMARKS:

SYNOPSIS: The Phantom, used by Air Force, Marine and Navy air wings, served
a multitude of functions including fighter-bomber and interceptor, photo and
electronic surveillance. The two man aircraft was extremely fast (Mach 2),
and had a long range (900 - 2300 miles, depending on stores and mission
type). The F4 was also extremely maneuverable and handled well at low and
high altitudes. Most pilots considered it one of the "hottest" planes
around.

1Lt. Paul D. Raymond and Maj. Carl D. Miller were F4 pilots who were sent on
a combat mission over Quang Binh Province, North Vietnam on September 5,
1967. Raymond's bombardier/navigator on the flight was Capt. Donald W.
Downing, while Miller's was 1Lt. Thomas P. Hanson.

Both aircraft crashed on their missions near the coast of Vietnam. Raymond
and Downing went down about 10 miles north of the city of Vinh Linh, while
Miller and Hanson went down about 20 miles north of Vinh Linh. All four were
classified Missing in Action, and it is believed the Vietnamese could
account for them, alive or dead.

591 American Prisoners of War were released in 1973, but nearly 2500 were
not. Thousands of reports have been received by the U.S. Government that
indicate hundreds of Americans are still alive and held captive in Southeast
Asia, yet the government seems unable or unwilling to successfully achieve
their release. Policy statements indicate that "conclusive proof" is not
available, but when it is, the government will act. Detractors state that
proof is in hand, but the will to act does not exist.

Whether the four airmen missing on September 5, 1967 survived to be captured
is not known. Whether they are among those believed to be still alive today
is uncertain. What cannot be questioned, however, is that America has a
moral and legal obligation to secure the freedom of those who may still be
illegally held by the communist governments of Southeast Asia. It's time we
brought our men home.

During the period they were maintained missing, Miller was promoted to the
rank of Colonel, Downing to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel, Hanson to the
rank of Major and Raymond to the rank of Captain.

Paul D. Raymond graduated from the U.S. Air Force Academy in 1965.

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08/29/2011

I have in my possession quite a number of family photos, letters, and
other documents from the late 1950's to early sixties of Thomas P.
Hanson. Some unidentified photos seem to date back to the early 
1900's.
 
He was in the Air Force, and apparently killed in an F4 in Sept. 
1967.
 
I obtained these items from my sister on law, who thought they
belonged to my brother, now deceased.
 
Neither of us know any of the people in the photos or documents, so I
began searching the internet, where I found information regarding
Hanson's apparent death. It seems his body was never recovered.
 
There are items related to pilot training at Reese Air Force Base,
with the Name Thomas P. Hanson, so I have little doubt someone from
his family would like to have this memorabilia.
 
His wife's name was Mary, maiden name Hannah, but I have so far been
unsuccessful in tracking her via the internet.
 
Any help you can offer to connect me with Hanson's family would be
appreciated, and I'm sure someone in his family would greatly like to
have these.

 
Thanks,
 
Robert Haspel


contact info@pownetwork.org if you are family please.
Family contact 2017 confirmed.

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http://highlandstoday.com/hi/local-news/woman-wants-to-find-family-of-soldier-who-died-serving-country-20141218/

Woman wants to find family of soldier who died serving country


Published: 


SEBRING — For nearly 50 years, Sebring resident Brenda Edwards has often thought about a man she’s never met.
She’s never heard his voice or saw his photo.

But the man’s name was always nearby, as Edwards for years wore a POW-MIA bracelet inscribed with his name,
Thomas Patterson Hanson.

Now, Edwards wants to contact family members of Hanson to see if they would be interested in having the bracelet with
 the name of their relative who died while serving his country during the Vietnam war....

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
 
Highlands Today
Family of pilot named on Sebring woman's bracelet located
Highlands Today   12/30/2014
In 1965, Brenda Howard started wearing a POW-MIA bracelet in 1965 for then-Capt. Thomas Hanson, a pilot from Miami. Howard plans to return the ...
 
Nearly 47 years later, bracelet bonds new friends together
Highlands Today   01/16/2015
There, Edwards gave Ingoglia the POW/MIA Vietnam-era bracelet she had kept for over 40 years as a way to honor those lost in the conflict. Ingoglia's ...

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01/2020

https://dpaa.secure.force.com/dpaaProfile?id=a0Jt0000000KZ2LEAW

MAJ THOMAS PATTERSON HANSON

Return to Service Member Profiles

On September 5, 1967, an F-4D Phantom II (tail number 65-0723, call sign "Tide 02") with two crew members took off as the wingman aircraft in a flight of two on a night armed reconnaissance over enemy targets in North Vietnam. Due to inclement weather along the route, the flight was diverted to a secondary target. While over the new target, the flight leader saw a bright light and made his bomb run, after which the Phantom began its pass. Shortly after, the flight leader observed an explosion on the ground near the target and discovered he had lost radio and visual contact with the Phantom. No parachutes had been observed, and no rescue beepers were heard following the aircraft's loss. Enemy presence in the area precluded any ground rescue attempts for the crew members, and both men remain missing. 

First Lieutenant Thomas Patterson Hanson entered the U.S. Air Force from Florida and was a member of the 555th Tactical Fighter Squadron. He was the pilot of this Phantom II when it was lost on September 5, 1967, and his remains were not recovered. After the incident, the Air Force promoted 1st Lt Hanson to the rank of Major (Maj). Today, Major Hanson is memorialized on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific.

Based on all information available, DPAA assessed the individual's case to be in the analytical category of Active Pursuit.

If you are a family member of this serviceman, DPAA can provide you with additional information and analysis of your case. Please contact your casualty office representative.

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