[Interview begins]

BLUMENBERG: Today is Tuesday and it is November 14th, 2023. Right. And it is my privilege to be here today with Thomas J. Hansen, who served in the United States Army from December 3rd, 1954 until November 15th of 1956.

HANSON: Yep.

BLUMENBERG: This interview is being conducted by Tom Bowman Berg, who is, uh, a volunteer for the Wisconsin Veterans Museum Oral History Program. And I also submit a record of this to the Library of Congress, the Veterans History Project in Washington, DC. No one else is present in this interview room. And with that introduction, we will get started with the very basic information. So welcome, Tom.

HANSON: Oh well.

BLUMENBERG: That took a while to get to that point. But, um, first of all, tell me where you, uh, where you grew up.

HANSON: I grew up in, um, Racine, Wisconsin. [XXXXXXXXXXX]

BLUMENBERG: Okay. And I'm not supposed to ask you the exact date, but what? What year would you have been born?

HANSON: [XXXXXXXXXXXX]

BLUMENBERG: All right. And tell me a little bit about, um, your time in Racine. First of all, who who were your parents? What were their names?

HANSON: My parents. My mother's name was Esther. Uh, Hansen. Um. Louis? Yes.

BLUMENBERG: Louis. L o u I s. Yeah. And what was Esther's name before she got married? What was their.

HANSON: Action?

BLUMENBERG: Fredrickson. Yeah, yeah. Okay. And they got married in, uh. Racine.

HANSON: Yes.

BLUMENBERG: Okay.

HANSON: And then this reversed my knowledge. Okay. Like that?

BLUMENBERG: Yeah. It was a while back. Yeah. And so then you popped up in, uh, 1900. And what did you say, 35. 35? Yeah. Okay. 1935. Did you have any brothers or sisters?

HANSON: I had a brother ten years old, and I was. His name was Jack Hanson.

BLUMENBERG: Okay. And did Jack serve in the military and off to the Marines? He was a marine.

HANSON: And at the end of the war, Audrey and or at that time.

BLUMENBERG: So that would have been World War two. Yeah. And he was a marine. And was he serving overseas?

HANSON: No. You were, uh, you shipped to the Philippines? Okay. And that's where at first, first he got.

BLUMENBERG: Okay. So he was ten years ahead of you. Yeah. And you were still back in Racine and. Tell me about your early, um, early schooling. Where did you go to?

HANSON: Uh, I went to a park high school. Um. Uh, interesting. That was a. Yeah. High school. And, um, um, uh, we we lived in Racine before we, we were literally saying we, um. Later on, we we who bought through, uh, through my own way.

BLUMENBERG: Okay.

HANSON: From the sea. And, uh, anyway, so.

BLUMENBERG: You were a city boy, and then you were a country boy.

HANSON: You know, a country boy.

BLUMENBERG: Okay.

HANSON: Who to, uh. To school.

BLUMENBERG: Okay.

HANSON: To sixth grade.

BLUMENBERG: All right, so you started in Racine, and then when you moved, you were at the same school. Or did you have to switch school?

HANSON: No, I never went to, uh, junior high school.

BLUMENBERG: Okay.

HANSON: And then high school or Park.

BLUMENBERG: Park high. Okay. And that's where you graduated?

HANSON: Yes.

BLUMENBERG: And what what year would that have been? Oh, Lordy. 1935 to 1947.

HANSON: I would say that's somewhere around there.

BLUMENBERG: Okay. And then you were a graduate from Park High in Racine and around 1947. And what happened to you after that?

HANSON: Well, I graduated.

BLUMENBERG: And you graduated. That's good.

HANSON: That's nice. I got to get a job. Uh, a good job, you know. So I'm in my head. My mind is already in there. Anyway, I went to the electric company, and I went to the, uh, phone company, and, like, the steamboat companies, right. And, uh, I got a job at Wisconsin Electric Power, and I was a journeyman. I started selling poles, and then I ended up. I keep on doing all climbing and.

BLUMENBERG: Oh, so you were a line lineman.

HANSON: Who was a lineman. So there.

BLUMENBERG: Yeah. So that was right after high school?

HANSON: Yeah.

BLUMENBERG: And they were a stable company. But what what happened? How did you decide that?

HANSON: Well, I had to back up.

BLUMENBERG: Okay.

HANSON: Back up. Uh, I went to these places. Yeah. To get a job. But they all who told me they couldn't hire me until I had my military end up being a high school student.

BLUMENBERG: You know.

HANSON: I mean, just a general guy. Uh, what was next step? Well, I don't have a next step. I gotta go to military. So I went down for a volunteer for the draft.

BLUMENBERG: So you really didn't get to work for them? No. Until after. After. Okay. So I get that. So you then decided you wanted to. That was really your only option to get a good job.

HANSON: At the military.

BLUMENBERG: And then you told me something. Did you volunteer or were you? You volunteered. Right?

HANSON: I volunteered.

BLUMENBERG: Okay.

HANSON: Let's see. Huh?

BLUMENBERG: And that was not a that was not a draft, um, issue at all. Okay, so you volunteered in. Uh. Let's see. Would that be about right? How how long am.

HANSON: I.

BLUMENBERG: School? So 1947 or some?

HANSON: Within weeks. Okay.

BLUMENBERG: So that's the timeframe you got out of high school. Couldn't get a job? Well, no. Volunteered. And how did you decide on the United States Army?

HANSON: I didn't decide you did it. Uh, some, uh um uh uh uh uh, I'd. I don't know really how that happened, because I had the choice. I volunteered as a draft, and that was the army, so.

BLUMENBERG: Okay.

HANSON: I didn't I don't they must have given me a choice. Maybe, but I told them the army.

BLUMENBERG: And we went.

HANSON: Well.

BLUMENBERG: So you signed up in Racine? Mhm. And then what was the timeframe when you signed up until you actually.

HANSON: Within weeks of, uh, Derek drafted me.

BLUMENBERG: Okay. So you went and signed up a couple weeks later you were on your way to where? Leonard Wood for Leonard Wood. Okay. And.

HANSON: I did my basic training in.

BLUMENBERG: Okay. And you shipped out of Racine with. With others, or were you alone?

HANSON: Oh, yeah. That was about 4 or 5 of us.

BLUMENBERG: Okay. And how did you get to Fort Leonard Wood?

HANSON: Train only.

BLUMENBERG: Okay. Wow. So you you show up at the gate at Fort Leonard Wood and what they do with you?

HANSON: Well, I hand me the clothes that I wanted to the line.

Speaker 3 Uh.

HANSON: I get to go, uh, uh, Sergeant area screaming and hollering and, uh. Uh, and I have to go back and start out from, uh, basic.

BLUMENBERG: Yeah. Let me take a look at your DD 214. I thought I saw something different on there. I just want to make.

HANSON: Sure you asked me what I wanted to do.

BLUMENBERG: Yeah.

HANSON: And I said, oh, I'd like to get some carpenter experience.

BLUMENBERG: Okay. Yeah. This thing says something about Fort Sheridan, Illinois, but I think that's when you were discharged.

HANSON: Probably.

BLUMENBERG: It's hard. It's hard for me to read this, but. Yeah. Okay, so you started it. Now I'm going to back up a second. You were went to, uh, fourth letter word in Missouri. Um, and they gave you your uniform and started yelling at you.

HANSON: Okay.

BLUMENBERG: And then what?

HANSON: Then I went to all of the basic rifle. And one thing that I.

BLUMENBERG: Learned.

HANSON: Crawling around, um, and, uh, all the basic training, the first sergeant and he can't get rid of it. And then, uh, I think after basic, I got to go home.

BLUMENBERG: Okay.

HANSON: And for a couple days, and, uh, I. Uh, I came back and I, uh, somewhere I got papers to go to Texas.

BLUMENBERG: Okay, let me back you up a step, because I want. I want to spend a little time.

HANSON: Yeah.

BLUMENBERG: With, uh, what you were doing in basic training. So you were there. You were in a barracks. And do you recall any specific instructor or any event that would stick out in your mind for basic.

HANSON: Um, just a just a sergeant in charge?

BLUMENBERG: Yeah. Uh.

HANSON: He had, you know, 100% of his time.

BLUMENBERG: And he was. And he was with you. Yeah.

HANSON: Uh, and you just full of all of us who got us through it?

BLUMENBERG: Yeah.

HANSON: Like I never had as a martyr, I was. I was always slow week. That never fast enough.

BLUMENBERG: And so he let you know about it?

HANSON: Yeah. He let me know.

BLUMENBERG: In no uncertain terms.

Speaker 3 Yeah.

HANSON: That's very true.

BLUMENBERG: And it was. So did you find any part of your, um, basics more difficult than any others, or was it.

HANSON: No, I had no. My health was good.

BLUMENBERG: Yeah.

HANSON: Oh, I bet I did have. Huh. Uh, we were out in the field, uh, in tents.

BLUMENBERG: Okay.

HANSON: And, um, I didn't know it. Uh, but my story. Some of it was cool, and I had to crawl out of the tent in the morning and. Yeah. So at that time, I lost my balance. Oh, no.

Speaker 3 No.

HANSON: No, I go all the guys are running there for work lined up, you know.

BLUMENBERG: Yeah.

HANSON: And, uh, they were they wanted to help, but they had to get in line.

BLUMENBERG: Right?

HANSON: So I was out there myself, and so I birdied.

BLUMENBERG: Yeah. Well, that's a that's kind of a rugged memory, huh?

Speaker 3 Uh.

BLUMENBERG: Yeah. So you got through that event? Yeah. And then. Okay, then we're gonna go back. You said then you got out of your basics. And what do you think that was about six weeks or more.

HANSON: Yeah. So go ahead. Uh, six weeks.

BLUMENBERG: Okay. And. And so you were done with basic training. You had, um. Uh. You had. Time on the rifle range and basics. Or did that come later when, you.

HANSON: Know, I thought it was more of the basics.

BLUMENBERG: This thing here says you are an expert on a carbine.

HANSON: Oh, really? Well.

BLUMENBERG: So I'm just reading what I said.

HANSON: Yeah, I just follow that instruction and whatever.

BLUMENBERG: Well, you must have been a good shot.

HANSON: Yeah.

BLUMENBERG: Okay. Well, all right, so you got all the basics, and then you said what? You got orders to go to Texas.

HANSON: Yeah. And in order to go to Texas, and I think I had a time at home. And then I went down, uh, down to Texas.

BLUMENBERG: Yeah. And I was hoping your your paper here would say where you were, because I know we couldn't figure that out last time. Um.

HANSON: No.

BLUMENBERG: No. Well, okay, so you were in the Army and you were in Texas? Yeah. And what happened to you there?

HANSON: That's what you told me. I'm having a I'm.

BLUMENBERG: Okay and good.

HANSON: Grades and everything.

BLUMENBERG: And you trained there on that?

HANSON: I trained.

BLUMENBERG: On Base.

HANSON: Ridge.

BLUMENBERG: Okay. And what do you think that. How long did that take?

HANSON: I was probably on her. Six months a year.

BLUMENBERG: Oh, some extensive training.

HANSON: Yeah.

BLUMENBERG: Yeah. And then. Tell me about that training. What do you do? Just run the different machines or.

HANSON: Learn to run an auto grade.

BLUMENBERG: Yeah.

HANSON: Follow the, uh. We were doing the level they wanted, you know, and.

BLUMENBERG: Yeah.

HANSON: And, uh, what are you grading up for? You know what I'm thinking on, uh.

BLUMENBERG: And, you know, had never done any of that before.

HANSON: Uh, well, I would run tractor and tank, right?

BLUMENBERG: Yeah. No, that's different from big equipment, though, right?

HANSON: Yeah.

BLUMENBERG: Yeah. Okay. And was there any part of that that was especially challenging or interesting?

HANSON: Not really. It's just, you know. You know, firms we revel in got up and did what they want.

BLUMENBERG: Yeah. So you got up and did it. And then after, uh, after that training that you said that was about six months.

HANSON: You know.

BLUMENBERG: What happened to you then?

HANSON: Then they should be down to. No, that's. That's when I was in Texas and it's raining. And then, uh, when I got done with that, um. The end of the papers. And I was going to France.

BLUMENBERG: So.

HANSON: Yeah.

BLUMENBERG: Was it you or it.

HANSON: Was it. No, no. You know, you and I, uh, were going to go port au Prince and. Were and equipment in that area. Yeah. So. So who you. And I did it for two years.

BLUMENBERG: Okay. Now and reading this, it says you were in, uh, 84th.

HANSON: 84th birthday to the construction construction battalion.

BLUMENBERG: Yeah. And you were a heavy equipment.

HANSON: All right.

BLUMENBERG: Bulldozer operator was here and was in between.

HANSON: In between. They they gave me, uh, asphalt, uh uh, uh, trailer and shipped me over to Sydney and, uh, another city from Bordeaux. And I gave you a rifle. You gave me five guys to take out and repair roads. Oh, no.

BLUMENBERG: And no, when you. I got it back you up. So they just said you're going to France. Yeah. And you went with your the whole battalion or. No.

HANSON: No, uh, is, uh, I think there was 3 or 4, uh, three of us that went okay. And um, and we got our. Works and stuff there and whatever company we're in heavily reinforced. Yeah. And then.

BLUMENBERG: And that was just outside of Bordeaux, France.

HANSON: You know. Okay. So Bordeaux and uh, that's one too. They gave me this. Yeah. So can we move on and repair rows with the guys? And then I came, but I and I got there and I did the job and the guys doing the road, I probably, you know, I did that for, um, four weeks, but say. And then I went back to the company that I was sent to, and I can't tell you the name of that one. Huh. But they I had a spot in the works where I was asleep. Nobody bother me. And, uh, I didn't, you know, verbally and. Each year you're going to see what they wanted. So then they were done. Really? So I stayed there 84th. Transported me there. Yeah. Fuck. Hell. And they went back in when I was done. Nobody said anything to me. So I was there in the barracks. Yeah, nobody bothered me. I did I don't very, very rarely. And. I was there and I ran out of money, so I thought I could lose it. The guy who were giving me smokes and stuff and, um, so I went to headquarters and I. And I said, I got a problem. I came here to do this job, and I did, and it got done. And nobody has said no to me and and, uh, no, they said they look into it. Well, sooner or later they get, uh, dumped on, pick me up. And if transport of you back to it and, you know, company and then after that, I, uh, grant her turn it over. Uh, it's a pretty big piece of equipment.

BLUMENBERG: And what was I calling it? Turner. Those are Turner.

HANSON: Turner.

BLUMENBERG: Okay.

HANSON: And this was a square sweeper on a back and heavy tractor in the front. And, um, I did that till they were done with me, and then I, uh, I was released and came home, and I spent all my time working there, you know.

BLUMENBERG: Yeah. So when you when we talked before, you said you were working on a project there, uh, athletic fields.

HANSON: Yeah, that's all I could figure out. It was smooth it out for, uh. Yeah. Some of the people you know.

BLUMENBERG: Huh?

HANSON: I really didn't get involved in who and why wouldn't I just do what I was taught?

BLUMENBERG: You go to private and you just like it, you know? And did they have a name for what you were doing in the area?

HANSON: No.

BLUMENBERG: Or the project that you were on?

HANSON: I, I never knew anything about what it was. Yeah. And I had a place to report to in the morning, and it'll transfer some of you out of the field. And I work all day, and I go back to the phone. And.

BLUMENBERG: You know, I did some research after we talked the first time.

HANSON: Yeah.

BLUMENBERG: And I found the 84. That was no problem. Yeah. And the whole history of them being called a camouflage unit for a while.

HANSON: Yeah.

BLUMENBERG: And then it flipped over, and then it kind of skipped that time when you were in. And then it was on to Vietnam.

HANSON: Because we had we had temporary housing there. We would do a candidate canvass who units. So there was always units stayed in. Yeah. But I don't I don't know what what their purpose was. I only did what they told me.

BLUMENBERG: Yeah, well, it would be interesting to find that up. I don't know how you would find out.

HANSON: I don't I don't know either.

BLUMENBERG: I asked around a little bit too, about how could I get that information. And they, I was provided with some links, but I found a huge history of the 84th.

HANSON: Year for.

BLUMENBERG: It. But I couldn't find that specific time period in France. But yeah.

HANSON: Huh? So that's that's really. And then I got, um. From there, I got disturbed.

BLUMENBERG: So you were still in France? They discharge you. And I forgot to ask you back in.

HANSON: No. They shipped me to New York or wherever.

BLUMENBERG: Okay, but when you. Before you went over, how did how what was your transport to get from the States? Uh, you are in Texas by boat. So you took ship.

HANSON: Over to the ship over.

BLUMENBERG: And was that.

HANSON: That was a rough road.

BLUMENBERG: And was that military?

HANSON: Uh. I did I don't know, no, I don't know. I think it was Marshall.

BLUMENBERG: Okay, but you were on a boat or a ship.

HANSON: Yeah.

BLUMENBERG: And it was rough riding.

HANSON: Yeah. Um, we try to go up and see what's going on, but the doors are over.

BLUMENBERG: Yeah. Interesting. Okay, then they gave you your papers when you were still outside of Bordeaux. And then how did you travel back?

HANSON: I think I flew back.

BLUMENBERG: Okay. Uh, and ended up in.

HANSON: Uh, uh, I was, uh, I think probably out of Bordeaux. Okay. You dropped me in New York, and and I took a train to wherever. Um. Then they did to surgery.

BLUMENBERG: Okay, so that forever or wherever might have been. Um, Fort Sheridan, Illinois.

HANSON: Yeah.

BLUMENBERG: So if you got to New York and then trained over to Fort Sheridan and then you were you were out.

HANSON: Through East.

BLUMENBERG: And that would have been at the, uh, mid November, just about, uh, tomorrow, November 15th.

HANSON: Yeah. Because, uh, it's, uh, it's another story.

BLUMENBERG: Well, it's not that, uh, it's just, uh, there's a lot of information I wish I could find out.

HANSON: Yeah. Um. Yeah.

BLUMENBERG: So that date was November 15th, 1956, and you would have been in Fort Sheridan, Illinois, and you were at that time you were a private first class. Mhm. And then you were done. Mhm. And how did that happen? I mean they just say goodbye or did you walk out the door or how did you get home. What was your next stop. Back to Racine.

HANSON: When I came back, uh. Uh, I think we, I think we had to show up in, in, uh. For Leonard Wood, I think. And got this shirt from there.

BLUMENBERG: Oh, okay.

HANSON: And then took took a turn.

BLUMENBERG: And then you were back in your sewing machine and everybody was happy to see you.

HANSON: Oh, well, my mother, I just met my mother. My dad died at 31.

BLUMENBERG: Oh.

HANSON: And cancer.

BLUMENBERG: Oh, so he died while you were in?

HANSON: Uh, no. I always knew I was homeless. Okay, that was before I to.

BLUMENBERG: Oh. Okay. And your mother was still here, and your brother was ten years older, and he was off doing something else.

HANSON: He was going to college.

BLUMENBERG: Okay.

HANSON: He ended up in civil engineering in California.

BLUMENBERG: Okay. And you got back to receiving discharge from the army. You are in the Army Reserves, it says.

HANSON: Yes, we are here. We have to be attached to you as a.

BLUMENBERG: Reserve.

HANSON: Unit. Yeah. And I am. I didn't go to any any babies or anything. Right. Uh. I wo I look for, I look for when it came back. I look for work and I look for the place. Same places that I.

BLUMENBERG: Yeah. You mentioned before.

HANSON: That turn.

BLUMENBERG: On Wisconsin electric power.

HANSON: Uh, and that that was the strangest thing. Well, I broke my sight when I was in for. Okay, I still played some Iron Man in my test. Uh, five or so.

BLUMENBERG: And how did they let you in the military with that?

HANSON: Nobody has any question.

BLUMENBERG: They just said, okay, go.

HANSON: Okay. That's good.

BLUMENBERG: Well.

HANSON: I, I there was no question that.

BLUMENBERG: Uh, yeah.

HANSON: Uh, of uh whether you would be if you could or couldn't do to lower if I just went and did.

BLUMENBERG: Well they mostly considered you fit for duty, otherwise they wouldn't have. They wouldn't have inducted you. Right.

HANSON: Yeah.

BLUMENBERG: Yeah. So you were in.

HANSON: Yeah.

BLUMENBERG: And you have metal plates in your.

HANSON: Yeah.

BLUMENBERG: Well.

HANSON: Yeah. Uh, and I. Can't work here. Everything is all.

BLUMENBERG: Right. So you did what was asked of you? Yeah. Okay, then.

HANSON: I got released. And then, uh. I had gone to the same places that I went to before, you know, and they accepted me, but one of them turned me down. And that's really the place I really want to work. And, uh. They turned me down, and, uh, Uncle Wayne called me, and he said, odd job. Job search going. And I said, well, I went to the Falcone, and I said, they turned me down, and I don't know why they wouldn't tell.

BLUMENBERG: Me, you know. Which company was.

HANSON: It? Wisconsin. Like, uh, okay.

BLUMENBERG: The oil, the power company. Company.

HANSON: And and I said maybe it's because my fruit flies in my leg, but they wouldn't tell me. I said, that's strange. Oh, cool. I got it. Oh! Give them a call. Give them a call. And the guy that turned me down. I heard it, had it. Even if you call somebody, I don't know who. And he was responsible for, uh, all the power or streetlights going in in the city. So he had city contacts, and he just said, it's the same family you went to, like yesterday, or you two are on your people who pushed or.

BLUMENBERG: So.

HANSON: I.

BLUMENBERG: He pulled the right string.

HANSON: Of strings that I got there. And like I said, yeah, I've gone to law school.

BLUMENBERG: No explanation.

HANSON: No explanation.

BLUMENBERG: Well.

HANSON: And, uh, private, private people. And, uh, I will there for, um. But for 20 years. None of us from, you know, wanted to do something different.

BLUMENBERG: You know.

HANSON: I got tired of being the cruel. Like you said, I was the one that did the hurt. Sure.

BLUMENBERG: So was that still lying work?

HANSON: Well, hard on the toll road.

BLUMENBERG: It seems strange because you had all that experience doing heavy equipment.

HANSON: Yeah.

BLUMENBERG: And? Well, they didn't use it.

HANSON: Well, when it came out, I thought about it. But every time, whatever a contractor who is running heavy equipment, you go from city to city and to state.

BLUMENBERG: Uh, yeah.

HANSON: And I didn't want to do that kind of thing, uh, because I know I wanted to get married.

BLUMENBERG: Yeah.

HANSON: Which I did.

BLUMENBERG: So what's the timeline on that you got? You were, um. You were back. You were working for Wisconsin Electric Power. And then when did you leave?

HANSON: When did I leave?

BLUMENBERG: Or when did you meet your wife?

HANSON: Uh, well, I met my wife. And that. My wife and I have had contact since we were three years old.

Speaker 3 Okay, so long story.

BLUMENBERG: Yeah, three years old.

HANSON: Yeah. That's right. And my mother and father lived in the house behind. Their house on the Swan Lake. Yeah, and that's how they came.

BLUMENBERG: So that was a long courtship.

HANSON: Yes, sir.

BLUMENBERG: How old were you?

HANSON: And what a good woman. Good. Six years.

BLUMENBERG: Six years. And how old was it when you got married? Uh. Let's see.

HANSON: So now you're going to get Carol 1958. Yeah. Oh, boy. You guys are here. Yeah.

BLUMENBERG: So I'm trying to figure this out. You got out in November of 56, and you got married. Uh, about a year and a half later, so.

HANSON: Yeah.

BLUMENBERG: Yeah. Well. That's neat. Six years.

HANSON: Yeah.

BLUMENBERG: And you knew her for, um, 15 years before that?

HANSON: We didn't. We were when, uh, my parents moved away to this new scene. Okay. So we would make contact when the family get together.

BLUMENBERG: Yeah. What about when you were over in France?

HANSON: Well, uh, there's a whole story that we.

BLUMENBERG: We don't want to talk about. The girlfriends that you had over there, but, um.

Speaker 3 No, no, I.

HANSON: Didn't show up.

BLUMENBERG: No, I don't see it until 214.

HANSON: Uh, yeah. Um.

BLUMENBERG: Uh, well.

HANSON: My granddaughter, all the letters that I wrote.

BLUMENBERG: Yeah.

HANSON: She kept. I didn't know her family. And she. She kept it in my granddaughter a photo. All the all the.

BLUMENBERG: Uh, the letter.

HANSON: The double letter.

BLUMENBERG: Uh huh.

HANSON: That's crazy. But, yeah, that's what happened.

BLUMENBERG: So you were writing when you were in France? Oh, yeah. Yeah. Okay.

HANSON: Well, well, if I, my mother wrote me and said her grandmother, her grandmother for cricket, and she said it would be like I said, you'd write a letter to her.

BLUMENBERG: Yeah.

HANSON: So I did.

BLUMENBERG: And you did.

HANSON: And that was on from her?

BLUMENBERG: Yeah. Okay, then, um, moving on in your life, you were 20 years or so with Wisconsin Electric Power. And then where did you go after that?

HANSON: I went, uh. So to work for the cable company Warner Cable at that time.

BLUMENBERG: Okay.

HANSON: And, um. I think my responsibility was that a sick man was sick as a six man crew, and we were to monitor the leakage around the airport because at that time. It was quite a problem for even the transport planes. So people would leak.

BLUMENBERG: Leaking.

HANSON: And breaking the cable.

BLUMENBERG: Okay.

HANSON: So that goes in the air. Any clues? Not just a suggestion, but. I survived our own airport.

BLUMENBERG: And so you were monitoring.

HANSON: That and monitoring? Well, I retired from that.

BLUMENBERG: Okay. And you were still living in Racine then, or where were you when you retired?

HANSON: Yeah, we were still, uh, we're living in Racine.

BLUMENBERG: Okay.

HANSON: In a different location.

BLUMENBERG: But then. Then how did you end up here? What happened after you retired?

HANSON: Well, we won. We went on to Florida and bought a home.

BLUMENBERG: Okay.

HANSON: Built it. And, uh, we were happy for 12 years, but, uh, once one morning, I, uh. And I had to take her to, uh huh, to the, uh, doctor for cancer scraping or whatever. And, um, our neighbors were there, and I would feel funny this morning and, uh, so on, or it came out. She said, don't let them go home because you didn't feel good. So she took that advice. And so she started good going home. And on the way, there was a doctor's office. I heard about doctor orders and which doctor. And if he was in, and I figured, you know, and let him take a look at me and. The woman at the desk. Said, drive as fast as you can to get to the hospital. Oh, they didn't want to get aggressive, but I was perfectly normal by the time I got to the hospital in the car. I had vomited all over, uh, it was a mess. And and so they took me to the emergency room. And, uh. They said did not. We can't call it a stroke. But by the second day, they decided you had a stroke.

BLUMENBERG: Okay.

HANSON: So that's why I am what I am today.

BLUMENBERG: Yeah.

HANSON: So. We managed well and we were familiar with this facility because of who father went there all through until this matter. And that was years ago. And and we didn't know the facility very well. And, uh. Are you doing that to convince her to come back?

BLUMENBERG: Yeah.

HANSON: In case something happened to me, she wouldn't have to do right. Um, so.

BLUMENBERG: So you're well established.

HANSON: We're established here.

BLUMENBERG: And when? When when did you move in here?

HANSON: 12 years.

BLUMENBERG: Ago. 12 years ago. Okay. Yeah.

HANSON: And then of course, I mean game of lost mobile driving responsibility.

BLUMENBERG: Right?

HANSON: And, uh, which would make sense.

BLUMENBERG: Yeah. I mean, but it makes your life a little more challenging.

HANSON: Yeah. Uh, so, uh, so we're very comfortable.

BLUMENBERG: Yeah. So do you have any connection with any veterans groups here or.

HANSON: Not really. You know.

BLUMENBERG: You know.

HANSON: We we have a veterans celebration, right?

BLUMENBERG: Right. Well. Yeah.

HANSON: Whatever turns up, but there's that. There's stuff out there anyway.

BLUMENBERG: Yeah.

HANSON: I probably didn't go. Because I don't know why I look at concentrations on work and responsibility. Uh. Um, sure. And, uh, uh, occupied my time, I guess. Right.

BLUMENBERG: You were busy.

HANSON: Yeah.

BLUMENBERG: Yeah.

HANSON: Power company. They call you whenever they want you.

BLUMENBERG: Right.

HANSON: That's cool.

BLUMENBERG: And what do you go?

HANSON: It was 25. Oh, you're out there.

BLUMENBERG: Yeah.

HANSON: You may not step on a call to work.

BLUMENBERG: Right, but you still had to respond.

HANSON: You know, you got to work. Yeah. Yeah.

BLUMENBERG: Well, thinking back to all that now, you had quite an interesting story.

HANSON: Right?

BLUMENBERG: Well, I mean, it's different, but it was interesting in that.

HANSON: I call it a murder.

BLUMENBERG: You. Well, not only that, but I mean, the way it worked out with your job. And then, you know, they said you needed military service. Well, of course you did what you thought was best, right? So do you have any, um, any profound ideas about, you know, young people going into military or.

HANSON: Oh, it's a it's a very.

BLUMENBERG: Good experience with experience. Yeah. And why did you.

HANSON: Didn't have any bad, bad experiences? Yeah. You know, like you knew. That experience would have been. Out of basin and get in trouble.

BLUMENBERG: Yeah, but. But you didn't have to do that.

Speaker 3 Um.

HANSON: We got it. And in Bordeaux, we had to get all three of you who had time. Limited time for one week in Europe. So we had to crawl under the fence and.

BLUMENBERG: Go, oh, yeah, well, that could have been trouble right there. I was going to ask one when we were in the middle of that. What did you do when you were off duty? Off duty hours in France?

HANSON: Um, not a lot. Really?

BLUMENBERG: You know.

HANSON: I had a couple of experiences of. Yeah. Um, are you getting a soccer kid for the net on it?

BLUMENBERG: Yeah. Too much red wine.

HANSON: Yeah, that's about the size of it. Yeah. Yeah, yeah. I, I thinking, um. When I was doing all this work, and half since I was in Peru for basically two years. I mean, they treated us like. Cool. Uh, the French people know the the reality. Okay. Took us off the equipment so they could take us to the front of the fraud line. Oh, and we never had inspections. Or. I mean, it was a good life. Lucky you. Yes, I that's an interesting. It's a very odd story that you're picking up from me, but, yeah, it's the truth.

BLUMENBERG: I believe you.

HANSON: Have let me know. Do we know any of these fictions or anything? Um. And you just went to work?

BLUMENBERG: Yeah. Well, you think it was a little more lax because it was in between war times or.

HANSON: Well, uh, there was only once that they told us we had to carry weapons, uh, transferring from one place to another through France. Uh, folks who do a Puerto. Um, but we never had any problems.

BLUMENBERG: Yeah.

HANSON: You had a truck driver, and I have the right one. Here it is. And no trouble.

BLUMENBERG: Yeah.

HANSON: So. Thank goodness.

BLUMENBERG: Right?

HANSON: Lord for Lord, watch over me.

BLUMENBERG: Unfortunate for you. Yeah, yeah. So is there. You know, you said you didn't have much to talk about, but we talked about plenty for 42 minutes. Is there anything else that we should mention before we.

HANSON: Um, I, I'm proud to be a veteran, and I may have to go again.

BLUMENBERG: Yeah. The way things are going and.

HANSON: Things are going wrong, we're going to get a handle on it.

BLUMENBERG: And the young people don't seem to be stepping up.

HANSON: No, that's not that's a problem at all.

BLUMENBERG: Um, well, I guess it always was, except for, well, I guess World War Two people.

HANSON: It'll be up with the same really clear cut I drafted. We were. They're going to have. We were ready to go because, you know, the place is also. I don't know that. Or he just took advantage of some of those things. Yeah, but, uh.

BLUMENBERG: Well, they say there's such a small percentage of people that serve, you know, in the military or uniformed services. I forget what it is, one, 1.5%. So it's pretty, pretty small.

HANSON: If if they would have seven major, it would be an I'm, I. Well, when I came back I heard Mark Strickland. Yeah I didn't feel. Welcome to the swamp. And.

BLUMENBERG: Right. Yeah. Whatever else. Well, that would have been, uh, much later, 4 or 5 years later. Yeah. Well.

HANSON: We didn't hear about it till the government got out.

BLUMENBERG: Yeah. Good for you. Okay, well, is there anything else that we didn't talk about or any other recollections? You know, once I turn this camera off, it's done.

HANSON: Yeah.

Speaker 3 And then.

HANSON: I to.

BLUMENBERG: Then it's history, as they say there, right? Yeah.

HANSON: Yeah. Uh, no, I can't think of anything. Um. Um. That's pretty well.

BLUMENBERG: Pretty well covers it.

HANSON: Oh I.

BLUMENBERG: Remember. Yeah. Well, that's like 88. Yeah. I interviewed a couple of guys that were in their 90s, and they were they they had some.

HANSON: Yeah. Uh, they they had the experience.

BLUMENBERG: They got they had some memories, but they.

Speaker 3 Yeah.

BLUMENBERG: But, you know, it's not easy. It's a long time ago. And you, you know, you don't relive it every day.

HANSON: At this age. Um, I'm beginning to feel some other things too.

BLUMENBERG: Yeah, well, if there is nothing else, then I'm going to close this.

HANSON: It'll be a short one.

BLUMENBERG: Well, 45 minutes. So I'm going to say again today is November 14th, 2023. And I am here with Thomas J. Hansen in West Bend, Wisconsin. I'm Tom Bloomberg, and I'm doing this oral history for the Wisconsin Veterans Museum and the Library of Congress in Washington, DC. And I want you that right after Veterans Day came up. Thank you for your service.

HANSON: I appreciate.

BLUMENBERG: It. Yeah. And, uh, thank you.

HANSON: Thank you for yours.

BLUMENBERG: I did it, too. So, um, I, uh, I'm glad we finally got together. And we've got this down, and I'll take it to the next step.

HANSON: Yeah. I don't know where it's going from here.

BLUMENBERG: I'll let you know later. Okay. Thanks.

HANSON: Thank you.

BLUMENBERG: Today is December 11th, 2023, and it is a second go around with my friend Thomas James Hansen. We, uh, got together here a couple weeks ago and, uh, realized that I made a calculation error and he forgot to, uh, add a little part of the story, and we want to get that correct for the record. So welcome again, Tom. We are in West Bend, Wisconsin. I'm Tom Bloomberg, and I am not affiliated with any organization. I'm doing this for the Wisconsin Veterans Museum and the Library of Congress in Washington, DC. So welcome again. Here's where I'd like to get started since, um, we have a few little corrections to make here. Um, and about 457 in, uh, in the previous recording, I mean, a quick mathematical calculation. And had you graduating high school when you were 12 years old, and that didn't happen, but, um, you graduated from Park High School? That's correct.

HANSON: Correct.

BLUMENBERG: And we figured out that you actually graduated in 1953, 54 or because then you went into the service in December of that same year. Yeah. Okay. So graduated from Park High School in Racine, Wisconsin in 1954. And then just a short time later, he was inducted into the United States Army. Okay, then one other little thing that I think I was confused about, but we talked about it and Tom, um, had been working in high school. Can you tell me where you were working?

HANSON: I work in previous gas stations, uh, in West Michigan with us. Um, okay. Um, and, uh, I also work in a China shop. Unpacking dishes. Mm. So thank you for setting up displays.

BLUMENBERG: In a China shop.

HANSON: Uh.

BLUMENBERG: Okay. And then you did that while you were in high school? Yes. And then also right after high school.

HANSON: Yeah. It was. Yeah. Gas station were on fire.

BLUMENBERG: Okay, so for a short, short time. And then you told me that you were, uh, looking for other employment, and that's when you went to Wisconsin. Electric power.

HANSON: Yeah.

BLUMENBERG: And telephone call me and the telephone company. Okay. And I didn't get that down, and, um. Tell me what happened with that deal.

HANSON: They both refused me for work until I had my military and.

BLUMENBERG: Okay.

HANSON: It is the same story.

BLUMENBERG: All right. So then the rest of the story goes, um. As we previously recorded. And then you had mentioned something and I did not include it in my, um, my written notes, but you reminded me that you had, uh, an incident while you were in basic training, and I don't want you to tell all the details of that again, but it was a gastrointestinal, uh, emergency, as we might say. And what happened to you after that occurred?

HANSON: And that occurred. I was in a hospital, probably, uh, 2 or 3 weeks.

BLUMENBERG: You said you went to get treated at the infirmary. Very good. Okay. And then you were kept in.

HANSON: The infirmary for two weeks.

BLUMENBERG: Okay. And then back out to finish your basics.

HANSON: In new new year.

BLUMENBERG: A new unit. Okay. Yeah, because those people moved on, right? Well, yeah, there was no, they weren't going to stop for you. So you were in the infirmary. Came out after a couple of weeks and then got in your new unit and finished your basics. Right. Okay. Then in the previous recording, I, um, I have written down that you got into basics or right after basics, and you wanted to get what kind of experience? Out of the Army.

HANSON: Uh, what are they asked me what I would never approve of. Oh, for I prefer to do. And I said, oh, I like to learn carpentry.

BLUMENBERG: Carpentry? And then how did that work go?

HANSON: They they didn't find a place for me. Carpentry.

BLUMENBERG: So you weren't going to be a carpenter? No, no. And you ended up in, uh, heavy equipment operation, right? Yeah. Okay. Then, uh, further along in the interview, we had, uh, your duty overseas was with the 83rd Engineering Battalion, and you went, um, you went to a place south of Bordeaux. Can you tell me the name of that place?

HANSON: I had to tell him.

BLUMENBERG: Moulin Rouge SA or Boucher.

HANSON: Yeah. Uh.

BLUMENBERG: He said.

HANSON: To Bouchard.

BLUMENBERG: Okay. And it was about 68 miles south of Bordeaux. Okay. And then just, um. So we get it again. What happened to you? You there. You you said you were in charge of.

HANSON: Uh, do I have to turn over? A large, large piece of equipment? Had to have turned to dirt. Um, and, uh, we were there for over. Oh, my. Where I am. I was in the army, and, uh. And hold on for two years. So, um, they they, uh, we had engineers directing us to what to do. And usually the road building or, um, uh, Frolic Field.

BLUMENBERG: Okay. And you have told me something about supervising some some people that were.

HANSON: Uh, my, my first time ever. We spotted a dog in the yard here and office was. He shipped me to another city, and they gave me for 4 or 5 guys and a rifle and and asked for. The bucket to repair roads. Okay. And I met them each day, and we we do it all.

BLUMENBERG: And you were in charge of getting these inmates to help you get the work done?

HANSON: Yes.

BLUMENBERG: Okay. So that was your time doing the road building? And then when that was finished, they said, uh. Army forgot about you.

HANSON: Will you send me home?

BLUMENBERG: There was no communication from your unit.

HANSON: So? You read on. Uh, well, after I got done with the asphalt worker in another city, uh, we had an active basis there where I stayed in at the airport. My own face didn't come to get me, and they didn't send any word for me to do so. I was there for, uh, quite some time before. I didn't know what else to do. I finally went to the CEO, and the company was that I was staying at okay. And he helped me straighten up.

BLUMENBERG: So they straighten you out and got you some money? Yes. And sent you back to Bordeaux? Oh, yeah. Okay. Okay, so we got that squared away. And then next on my list was, uh, just a clarification, which maybe I misunderstood, but. We talked about this a little bit earlier and let me make sure I've got this. So you've met your wife, Carol. Basically when you were three years old because, um.

HANSON: Well, friend.

BLUMENBERG: She was the daughter of a long time family, friends with the Hanson family and Carol's family. Okay. And then, uh, while you were in France, you were corresponding with Carol, who was your friend at that time, but also to your mother and to some of Carol's relatives.

HANSON: Yeah.

BLUMENBERG: Okay.

HANSON: And Carol's grandmother. Fell and broke her leg.

BLUMENBERG: Okay. And then you were corresponding with her.

HANSON: Right? Okay. I my mother said I should call her or write to her.

BLUMENBERG: Okay. And you did what you were.

HANSON: I did what I was in a pharmacy.

BLUMENBERG: That's probably where you were good. In the army, too. You just did what you were told.

HANSON: Right.

BLUMENBERG: Okay. And then, um, I guess there's just a couple more items, Tom. One is that, um, all your notes were stored someplace.

HANSON: No, all of the letters that, uh, we wrote where I wrote to Carol.

BLUMENBERG: Okay.

HANSON: She saved.

BLUMENBERG: She saved.

HANSON: Them. And her granddaughter put them in a, um, uh.

BLUMENBERG: Like a binder, a binder. Okay. And that granddaughter was Shannon, right? Right. Okay. And that's the thing that I looked at. And it's just a really a nice history of the time that you were in France and what you were writing to Carol.

HANSON: And we were thinking of, um, uh, Miss Burning. Um.

BLUMENBERG: Yeah.

HANSON: Uh, coffee at a campfire. And, uh, she would like. That happened.

BLUMENBERG: So good. Good for Shannon, because she she put together a really nice binder. Okay. Then, uh, then the final thing is, uh, I just mentioned this very briefly, but, uh, I know that you gathered some some guys on, uh, Friday morning coffee hours.

HANSON: Once a week. We have a coffee hour in neighbors. Um, and, uh, that restaurant.

BLUMENBERG: Okay.

HANSON: And we share on a story.

BLUMENBERG: Yeah. So I said you weren't involved with any, uh, specific veterans organization, but. But this group is pretty tight knit group. And you meet every Friday.

HANSON: Right?

BLUMENBERG: Okay, then I'm going to give you one more chance to tell us some stories, because I'm not coming back here.

Speaker 3 I know that.

HANSON: That was one of the most, uh, uh, one of the most, uh, uh, laughable stories. So.

BLUMENBERG: Uh, well, we got that one down when you got sick. Um, yeah.

HANSON: We didn't narrow entertainment round or anything.

BLUMENBERG: Yeah.

HANSON: And if we did play.

BLUMENBERG: Well, one thing that we kind of glossed over is like when you were off duty and you were in Bordeaux, you said somehow you got out into the communities and.

HANSON: Yeah. What, uh, short term.

BLUMENBERG: Short term.

HANSON: Short term.

BLUMENBERG: I mean, just for an evening or two. Yeah. I mean.

HANSON: You know, we never just for 1 in 1 day sin. Oh, we we go to a place where they come on, you know, and, uh. And we would talk to other veterans that we didn't award in our area. And. One night I got involved with a guy from DC saying, oh really?

BLUMENBERG: And from your hometown.

HANSON: We all had a. Drink. But I didn't notice at the time that the guys were poor and Orbach and my drinking.

BLUMENBERG: Fun then probably didn't end up so good.

HANSON: No no no no, I got friends that kick you.

BLUMENBERG: Yeah, well, you remember that one donut?

HANSON: My brilliant. It was good. Yeah, but that was the only time.

BLUMENBERG: Yeah. Okay, well, I think we covered it all this time. I hope so. And we remember the name Infirmary. That was. That was great. Thanks to you. We were calling in other things, and we got, uh, squared away. The fact that you did not graduate high school when you were 12.

HANSON: Right? So that that was an important.

BLUMENBERG: That was important.

Speaker 3 Because.

BLUMENBERG: Well, as I said before, it's been a pleasure. And, you know, we became kind of friends after this interview process. And no matter where I go now, I see you. So that's that's all a good thing. So activity. Yeah. So if there is nothing else.

HANSON: No, not this point.

BLUMENBERG: Then we're going to, um, close down this little brief, uh, addendum to your original.

HANSON: Attempt to.

BLUMENBERG: Yeah, we're going to get it right. And I can tell you that. So, uh, today is December 11th, 2023. I am Tom Bloomberg. I'm in West Bend with Thomas James Hansen, and I want to thank you for your service and thanks for doing this interview with me. I appreciate it.

HANSON: I appreciate it.

BLUMENBERG: Yeah. Very nice.

HANSON: Brought back a lot of memories

BLUMENBERG: Yeah, I bet it did. So thank you very much.

[Interview ends]