TOMS RIVER – The Toms River Rotary Club hosted the Monument Dedication Ceremony for Medal of Honor recipient Seaman Hans Hansen at the Riverside Cemetery in Toms River.
The ceremony included military honors, patriotic music from the Toms River Multigenerational Orchestra, remarks from military personnel, veteran organizations, and community tributes.
Learning about Hansen goes back several years ago, when wreathes were being placed on veterans’ graves for Wreathes Across America. The volunteers placing the wreathes get a list of veterans with some information about their service.
Something stood out about Hansen: He was a Medal of Honor recipient. They are usually buried in Arlington, although they have the option to be buried elsewhere. Capt. Stan Mahan, who led the ceremony dedicating the new monument, explained that Bob Pastine, a Rotarian, did all the research to bring it to present day.
Hans Anton Hansen was born on August 9, 1877 in Corso, Denmark and immigrated to San Francisco on August 29, 1899.
Hansen joined the United States Navy Pacific Fleet, where he was a seaman aboard the USS Newark, which was on patrol in the East China Sea in June of 1900.
He earned the Medal of Honor for his extraordinary heroism while serving during the siege of Peking, China, during what is commonly known as the Boxer Rebellion. He passed away in Toms River in 1949.
“May God bless our veterans, our service members in harm’s way, and the United States of America,” Mahan said. “Well done my brother. In the face of danger, you ran toward it to save others from the same fate.”
They learned that Hansen didn’t have any heirs. His older grave is nicely made, with his last name etched across it. Smaller stones stand at its foot for family members. These monuments didn’t show that he was a Medal of Honor recipient. So the veterans wanted to honor him with a stone that told his entire story.
The new one has his full name, rank, deployment and the dates that he earned the Medal of Honor – June 20 through 22, 1900.
“When you walk past this monument, remember that heroes are not mythical figures from history books,” said Capt. Jim Howell, USN Deputy Commander at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst. “They are everyday citizens of towns like this one, who, when their country called, answered with unimaginable courage”
The monument was paid for with help from the Rotary Club of Toms River, VFW 6063, American Legion Post 129, Toms River Elks Lodge 1875, Red Knight Kings Motorcycle Club of Toms River.
Chris Lundy contributed to this story.
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