Sam Hanson

Pvt. Sam Hanson is a German language interpreter for Able Company. He is portrayed by Robert Gothie.

Hanson is from Detroit. He is a baseball fan, particularly of his hometown Tigers ("The Dogs of War"). Though he and his best friend, Pvt. Ernie Lucavich, hail from the Motor City, the two did not know each other until they met in the Army.

In childhood, Hanson was fascinated by stories of King Arthur and dreamed of being a great figure in the same mold ("And Cain Cried Out"). It is never said whether Hanson volunteered for military service or was drafted.

In many episodes, Hanson and Lucavich are comic relief characters, but occasionally their friendship has moments of sincerity and depth. During the push inland from Salerno, the two shared a blanket to conserve heat ("The Gallant Men [Pilot]"). They discuss cosmology in "A Taste of Peace."

As is common in friendships, there are also moments of friction. In "Ol' Buddy," the two quarrel over petty matters and separate for a night patrol. Hanson is wounded and seeks refuge in a farmhouse occupied by German troops; Lucavich is racked with guilt over their spat and risks punishment from Benedict to find and rescue Hanson. In a reciprocal situation, Lucavich is thought dead in “To Hold Up a Mirror” and Hanson morosely tells Capt. Benedict the pain is so great that he doesn’t want to build a friendship with anyone else during his tour of duty, for fear of the same outcome.

Though the bulk of "Ol' Buddy" is built upon Hanson's knowledge of German, a continuity lapse in the episode "The Dogs of War" had both Lucavich and Hanson surprised by Hanson's fluency in the language. The latter episode also demonstrates Hanson has some basic command of Italian. Hanson says he learned German from his grandfather, but where and when he picked up Italian is not explained.

Hanson's language skills are particularly useful in "And the End of Evil Things," in which he instructs a captured German radio operator to give false information to his comrades. Hanson confirms the radioman passed along the bad intel, intended to make the Germans more vulnerable to an American advance. He also translates for a captured German in “One Puka Puka.”

Sam's personality is generally easygoing and he often exhibits a "go along to get along" attitude. The grueling Italian campaign has not sapped his humanity or occasional lightheartedness. He has no rivals in Able Company, and gets along well with his platoon mates. He is fond of Capt. Benedict, and in one episode tells Benedict he is the only man the company can't do without ("A Taste of Peace"). The affection is apparently mutual: when Hanson is thought dead in "Ol' Buddy," Benedict admits losing him is especially tough emotionally.