Edward Hanson Edward William Hanson ( February 12 , 1889 – October 18 , 1959 ) was a United States Navy Vice admiral and the 28th Governor of American Samoa from June 26 , 1938 to July 30 , 1940 . As Governor of American Samoa , Hanson believed that the native Samoans had a good way of life , and did little to interfere with established practices on the islands . Early years and World War I . Edward William Hanson was born on February 12 , 1889 in Alexandria , Minnesota . He attended the United States Naval Academy at Annapolis , Maryland and graduated in 1911 with the rank of Ensign . With the entry of the United States to the World War I , LTJG Hanson was appointed a Commander of USS Dale , Bainbridge - class destroyer , which patrolled the Manila Bay in the summer of 1917 . Hanson was ordered to the Gibraltar in the same year . During the voyage to Europe , which was longer than 11 , 000 miles , USS Dale was under very unfavorable weather conditions . Hanson managed to sail the USS Dale without serious damage , so the ship was ready for immediate participation in the operations against enemy . LTJG Hanson was awarded the Navy Cross for his command of USS Dale . Navy Cross Citation . Edward W . Hanson was awarded the Navy Cross . The official U . S . Navy citation for his Navy Cross reads : Interwar period . After the War , Hanson served on the staff of the Harvard Naval Science Department at Harvard University and subsequently on USS Black Hawk . Hanson also attended the Naval War College in 1925 . In 1927 , he was transferd to USS West Virginia , where he served as Ship Engineer for almost two years . In the next years , Hanson served alson aboard USS Arkansas , USS Wyoming or USS Texas as a staff officer . Between years 1931 - 1932 Hanson served back at USS West Virginia as navigator . In July 1936 , Hanson got his first own command , when he was appointed a Commanding officer of the USS Erie , newly launched Gunboat . Hanson commanded the ship during protection of American interests and citizens during the Spanish Civil War . Then USS Erie was used as a training ship for Midshipmen , operating out of United States Naval Academy in Annapolis . On June 26 , 1938 was Hanson appointed the Governor of American Samoa . As Governor , he believed that the native Samoans had a good way of life , and did little to interfere with established practices on the islands . At the time of his governorship , he was a Commander . World War II . At the end of July 1940 , Hanson ended his term as a Governor . He was subsequently promoted to the rank of Captain and appointed a Commanding officer of the near Naval Station Tutuila . In October 1941 , he was appointed the commanding officer of the heavy cruiser " USS Indianapolis " . A two months later ( during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor ) , Hanson commanded the USS Indianapolis during a training mission conducting a mock bombardment at Johnston Atoll . After attack on Pearl Harbor , Hanson got order to search for Japanese carriers responsible for the attack , though the ship did not locate them . Hanson subsequently commanded the USS Indianapolis during the New Guinea campaign and also during Aleutian Islands Campaign in Pacific War . He was subsequently appointed a Commander of Battleship Division 9 in July 1942 . Hanson commanded the Battleship Division 9 for the rest of the war and spent this time in the Pacific . In August 1945 , Hanson was transfered to Hawaii , where he succeeded Rear admiral William R . Furlong as a Commander of Pearl Harbor Navy Yard . Postwar service and retirement . On February 13 , 1948 Hanson was assumed command of the 15th Naval District , headquartered at Balboa in the Panama Canal Zone Hanson retired from the Navy with the rank of Vice admiral in 1951 and resided in La Jolla , California near San Diego . Edward William Hanson died there on October 18 , 1959 , aged 70 . He is buried together with his wife Nina A . Hanson ( 1903 - 1974 ) at Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery . Decorations . Here is the ribbon bar of Vice Admiral Edward W . Hanson :