Edward Hanson

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Edward William Hanson (February 12, 1889 – October 18, 1959) was a United States Navy vice admiral and the governor of American Samoa from 1938 to 1940. Born in Alexandria, Minnesota, he graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 1911.

During World War I, he commanded the destroyer USS Dale and earned the Navy Cross for his leadership under difficult conditions and long voyages.

After the war, Hanson studied at Harvard and the Naval War College, and served on several ships. In 1936 he became commanding officer of USS Erie, a gunboat used to protect American interests and later as a training ship for midshipmen.

As governor of American Samoa, Hanson respected local traditions and did not interfere with established practices.

Promoted to captain, he later commanded the Naval Station Tutuila and then the heavy cruiser USS Indianapolis. He commanded Indianapolis during World War II, including operations around New Guinea and the Aleutian Islands, and later led Battleship Division 9. In 1945 he moved to command Pearl Harbor Navy Yard. In 1948 he became commander of the 15th Naval District in the Panama Canal Zone and received honors from Panama and Chile. He retired in 1951 as a vice admiral and settled in La Jolla, California. He died in 1959 and is buried with his wife Nina A. Hanson at Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery.