CANTON, Mass. — A Canton legend and World War II veteran celebrated his birthday Saturday with a surprise party organized by generations of family and friends.
Howard Hanson, 100, walked into Brookmeadow Country Club Saturday night to a cheering crowd. His Canton American Legion Band also played him in.
“Oh boy, am I surprised,” Hanson told Boston 25. “Unbelievable!”
Hanson was born in Canton in 1925 as the youngest of eight siblings.
In 1943, at the age of 18, he was sworn into the Navy as a third-class petty officer coxswain.
During his service at the height of World War II, he landed on Omaha Beach in Normandy, France, after the storm on D-Day. His family says he spent the next three nights in a foxhole on the island.
In the years following his service, he received many awards for his heroism, including the Presidential Unit Citation (Army) for Extraordinary Heroism, the Croix de Guerre, and more.
After the war, he studied the saxophone and clarinet at Schillinger House, which is currently known as Berklee College of Music.
Cindy Gillis and Eric Hanson, two of Howard’s children, were waiting for him at Brookmeadow Country Club in Canton while his son led him inside.
Gillis explained, “He will do anything for anybody.”
Eric Hanson added, “I often question, ‘Is he the longest consecutive citizen in the town?’”
To this day, the 100-year-old still lives in Canton and is an active member of the local American Legion band, where he rehearses six times a week.
His conductor, Gary Good, told Boston 25, “It’s incredible ... He has a lot of energy when he comes to band. He shakes hands with all of us, says hello, jokes around, and really plays and plays well.”
In 2020, during the pandemic, family and friends could only drive by the veteran’s house to celebrate his 95th birthday.
Today, they celebrated his 100th in style, and in-person.
Howard Hanson finished, “Wonderful!”
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