Missouri Daughters Honor our Patriot of the Month:
February, 2006

    Major Jack Hale Hansel, US Army (Ret)

Following in the footsteps of his forefather (ancestor Conrad Creager), who served in the Revolutionary War, Jack Hansel has spent his lifetime preserving independence and
promoting the principles of democracy both
here and around the world.

Jack Hansel began his career in the Army in 1937, with the 17th Infantry regiment. He was discharged in May 1940, but immediately reenlisted to headquarters 3rd battalion, 17th Infantry, stationed at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. He was again discharged and commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant of Reserve Corp Infantry in September 1941.

In October 1941, he was ordered to active duty as a 2nd Lieutenant in Army Infantry at Camp Roberts, California. Over the next sixteen years, he served at Camp Shanks, New York; Liverpool, England; Wales, United Kingdom; Normandy, France; Wakeman Hospital at Camp Adaberry, Indiana; Parkersburg, West Virginia; Japan; Fort Riley, Kansas; Camp Roberts,California; Camp Crowder, Missouri; Saigon, Vietnam; and the Pentagon. It was while he was serving in France that he was wounded and received the Purple Heart and Combat Infantry Badge. He retired in April 1957.

He joined the State Department the next day and was promptly sent to Laos, where he planned and managed the evacuation of that country. He was later appointed General Services Officer of Ethiopia; was sent to Cairo, Egypt, where he again, planned and managed the evacuation of the country; and was sent to Buenos Aires, Argentina, where he served as General Services Officer. While serving with the State Department, he attained the official titles of Attaché and Consul. After retirement in 1975, he became a municipal judge in Platte City, Missouri. Here he devoted his efforts to promoting the crucial cause of law and order and was an active member of the Missouri Judges, American Judges and National Judges Association in addition to founding the Clay-Platte Municipal and Associate Circuit Judges Association.

His military honors and citations include:

• Bronze Star Medal
• Purple Heart
• Combat Infantryman Badge
• American Defense Service Medal
• American Campaign Medal
• European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with one Bronze Service Star
• World War II Victory Medal
• Army of Occupation Medal with Japan clasp
• National Defense Service Medal
• Armed Forces Reserve Medal

His granddaughter, Nicolle Hansel-Middleman, of the O’Fallon Chapter nominated Jack for Patriot of the Month. She writes:

" At 86 years of age, he has retired as a judge but still promotes patriotism and
service through many organizations with those objectives, including active
membership in the Sons of the American Revolution. He is responsible for
the recruitment of four active DAR members, four active C.A.R. members, and
at least one SAR."

Nicolle Hansel-Middleman is proudly nominates her grandfather, Jack Hale Hansel, as Patriot of the Month.

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