John Earl ‘Jack’ Hannan, 85, died Saturday, Aug. 28 at Oak Valley Care Center.He was born in Santa Rosa and moved to San Francisco, where he was raised. He lived in Oakdale for 21 years.He attended Andrew Jackson and Alvarado grammar schools, Roosevelt Junior High, Lowell High, City College of San Francisco, and Samuel Gompers Trade School. His interests at that time were engines, mostly aircraft engines. He was preparing for service in the Army Air Corps with aspirations to be a crew chief on B-17s. His other studies included navigation, aerodynamics, physics, and radio.Mr. Hannan volunteered for service in the U.S. Army in 1943 and served until 1946. Color blindness kept him out of the Air Corps, a major disappointment to him. His new home was the 570th Signal Company, 70th Infantry Division at Camp Adair, OR. He served not in the motor pool, nor the radio section, but in construction as a telephone lineman. He adapted quickly and counted his blessings that he wasn’t assigned as a rifleman in an infantry company. He had such high respect for the men who served in those positions that he approached his company commander, requesting a transfer to a JASCO (Joint Assault Signal Company) and was assigned to the 594th JASCO. These were specialized groups whose jobs were as forward observer teams supporting the ground troops with heavy naval gunfire and air strikes.He was an engineer for AT&T for 47 years.He is survived by his wife, Barbara Hannan of Oakdale; children, Joseph Hannan of Vacaville, Jeffery Hannan of Occidental, Eric Roth of Las Vegas, NV, Kim Lingenfelter of San Jose; six grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.Visitation will be from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 2 at Oakdale Memorial Chapel. A funeral mass will be at 10 a.m. on Friday, Sept. 3 at St. Mary’s Catholic Church, Oakdale. Reception to follow at the church.Graveside Military Honors will be at 2 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 8 at San Joaquin Valley National Cemetery, Santa Nella.Oakdale-Riverbank Memorial Chapels in charge of arrangements.The Oakdale (Calif.) LeaderSept. 1, 2010
John Hannan
