Photo submitted by Curtis Hannah


Shared by Vickie Graves Jones
from Fighting Men of Arkansas

As I Remember My Son, Hoyt N. Hannah By Thelma Hannah "The KEY", So. Sebastian Co., Historical Society Coxswain Hoyt N. Hannah Hoyt N. was born in 1920 near the Burnsville Community. He was fair complexion, blue eyes and dark curly hair and his face as well as the rest of his body was covered with freckles and much to his disappointment he sunburned easily. He was carefree, easy to get along, had a lot of friends and was a great teaser. He attended Greenwood Schools and as he grew older he dreamed of joining some branch of the U.S. Service. Finally he decided to become a sailor and to make the Navy his career. Hoyt was eighteen years old when he joined the service. After his boot training, he was assigned to the heavy Cruiser the U.S.S. San Francisco. Soon after Pearl Harbor, the U.S.S. San Francisco was ordered to the Solomon Islands and Coxswain Hoyt N. Hannah was a member of the crew. He had been in the Navy four years and was one of the first casualties from Sebastian County. The news clipping heading was as follows: "Local Sailor Hurt Fatally in Solomons" Injuries received in the battle of the Solomons in November proved fatal to Coxswain Hoyt N. Hannah, United States Navy, son of Thelma Hannah, 1900 South Street, Fort Smith, Arkansas who died Sunday, December 20, 1942 in the Naval Hospital at Oakland, California. The body will be returned to Fort Smith for burial. Surviving relatives besides his mother are three brothers, Corporal Ray Hannah, Camp Murphy, Florida, Claud W. Hannah, of the United States Naval Training Station, San Diego, California, and Curtis Hannah, Jenny Lind, Arkansas; one sister, Nova Jean, of the home; and his grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. A.W. Hannah, Sr., of Andrews, Texas. He was a nephew of J.A. Hannah, 2320 Dodson Ave. and Mrs. Roy Bassett, 2400 South Zero Street in Fort Smith, Arkansas, John Hannah, Kansas City, Missouri, Mrs. Norris Denson, Burnsville, Ark., and Mrs. Belle McAlister, of Greenwood. Three other aunts live in Los Angeles, California. Services were held in McConnell Memorial Chapel in Greenwood, on Monday, December 28th at 2 p.m. Those who conducted the services were U.S. Chaplain from Camp Chaffee and Rev. W.E. Yarbrough, pastor of the Greenwood Baptist Church.

Hoyt was the son of Albert W. Jr. and Thelma C. (McAlister) Hannah, who at the time of his death lived on a farm in Glover Hollow near Burnville. He joined the service in 1939 after graduating from Greenwood High School, and planned to make the navy his career. His ship the cruiser U.S.S. San Francisco was at Pearl Harbor when it was attacked at the onset to WWII, and went on to become one of the most highly decorated ships in the fleet. During the battle of the Solomon Seas, he was severely injured and sent back to the naval hospital in Oakland, California, where he died from his wounds. His body was returned to Arkansas and is interred with other family members in Greenwood memorial Cemetery. The U.S.S. San Francisco and crew were awarded the Presidential Unit Citation for its action on the night of Nov. 13th 1942. It was the first ship to ever receive such a coveted award, which at its creation took an act of congress to achieve. The battle was the last major surface engagement of WWII not evolving aircraft and highlighted the closing chapter of the "Battleship Navy" in naval history. Part of her battle damaged super structure can be seen today at the U.S.S San Francisco Memorial, located near the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco harbor. Sadly Hoyt's name was overlooked and is not included on the list of casualties for the bronze marker at the site. He did however receive the Presidential Unit Citation, Purple Heart and Pearl Harbor Commemorative Coin with other medals for his service aboard the "Frisco". One of Hoyt's last letters was to his aunt Helen Brower, (See below) written a few months prior to his death. It refers to his concerns for his mother following the tragic death of his father in the 1942 mine explosion at Excelsior.