Elmer K. Hanna
16 January 1918 - 17 May 1985
Born on January 16,1918, in Falls City, Nebraska to Edward E. Hanna and Susan Gertrude Hanna (King). Elmer had four brothers and one sister Ralph, Clarence, Bob, Keith, and Jane. He would soon move to Poplar Bluff, Missouri, where he would attend and graduate from Poplar BLuff High School in 1936. He married his high school sweetheart, Kreyl Louise Pearce on August 24th,1941. They would then move to Omaha, Nebraska.
On February 24th,1942, Elmer was drafted into World War II. He was currently employed with the Missouri Pacific Railroad. Elmer was assigned to be a Tech 4 Locomotive engineer. As part of the 759th Engineer Railway Operating Battalion. This Battalion was sent to North Africa, where they operated trains over 300 miles of rugged Atlas Mountain terrain. They handled the job in a manner described in a press release issued by the Industrial News Section of the War Department as `'Big Time Style". In one six-month period, the 759th hauled 1,030,224 tons of vital war freight in 2,164 trains. During the Tunisian Campaign, the men wore steel helmets over their engineer caps, pistols and carbines had equal stature with oil cans and coal shovels. Trains were run in blackout conditions as war supplies and troops were rushed to the front with train crews, never certain that enemy paratroopers had not blown up the next bridge or tunnel. In one 50-mile stretch there were 20 tunnels, one of them 2 miles long and horseshoe shaped. These soldier railroaders faced 25 percent grade frequently along their 300-mile run. The line was still directed by the French, and the Americans had to learn their systems of signals, schedules, and regulations. Many of their locomotives and cars were still used and again the American's had to master these. The unit soon established its reputation as one of the best railroad battalions in the Mediterranean war theatre.
After being discharged on September 14,1945, Elmer returned home to his wife and his son Frank who was born while Elmer was overseas. He would return to work for the Missouri Pacific Railroad as an engineer After a long career, he retired from the railroad. Elmer enjoyed horse racing, Husker football, and most sports. After a long battle with chronic lung disease, he passed with his family by his side on May 17th, 1985. He, like his son Frank, died a Proud Veteran.
