RI RI - Frank Hanson, 15, Cranston, 12 July 1947

[JerseyGirl]

About 7 p.m. on Saturday, July 12, 1947, Frank Hanson walked into Henry’s, a Cranston version of a 7-Eleven long before that chain was founded. I worked there five nights a week and on one of the weekend days.

I asked Frank how he had done earlier that day in a sailboat race at the Edgewood Yacht Club. Frank crewed for Herb Browne, one of the best sailors at the club. I was not surprised when Frank told me they had won again, because the Browne-Hanson team had the best record on Narragansett Bay.

Frank asked me if I was going to play baseball the next day. I told him I might have to work.

He smiled and said, “Maybe I’ll see you tomorrow.”

Those words and that smile have stayed with me for the past 72 years, because I never heard his voice or saw Frank Hanson again.

STILL MISSING: Author haunted by disappearance of Cranston friend 72 years ago

 

[Stella]

Are there any photos of Frank?

 

[PayrollNerd]

Frank went missing July 12, 1947 and then 14 days later a body was seen by 3 women. That rings true to me. It's not just one person but three. Just because they didn't find his body doesn't mean he wasn't in the river. How sophisticated were dive teams in 1947? How advanced were the forensics back then? If they didn't find a body on the first day, did they continue to dive? Did they walk the shoreline, lift logs out of the way, check any beaver dams, look under rocks, etc. How deep was the water and where did it empty into? No signs of shoes, clothing, etc. reported?

"On July 26, 1947, three women reported seeing a body in the Pawtuxet River. Cranston police, divers and firemen resumed their search with powerful searchlights, but no body was found."

 

[CCJD]

31 Dec 1969, - at Newspapers.com <modsnip: removed screenshot of paywalled article>

 

[PayrollNerd]

31 Dec 1969, - at Newspapers.com

Two decades later? What newspaper or part of Florida was this printed in? Were there rumors of this child going to Florida? Alone or with someone else?

 

[CCJD]

Two decades later? What newspaper or part of Florida was this printed in? Were there rumors of this child going to Florida? Alone or with someone else?

The date on the link is incorrect. Why it comes up like that is a mystery to me. The story was actually clipped from:
The Tampa Tribune
Tampa, Florida
14 Dec 1947, Sun • Page 2

 

[PayrollNerd]

The date on the link is incorrect. Why it comes up like that is a mystery to me. The story was actually clipped from:
The Tampa Tribune
Tampa, Florida
14 Dec 1947, Sun • Page 2

Ok, perhaps his family posted this is as many states as they could to generate leads?

 

[victoriarobinson642]

NAMUS:

The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)

By bringing people, information, forensic science and technology together, NamUs helps resolve cases.

www.namus.gov

-

Demographics
Missing Age - 15 Years
Current Age - 92 Years
First Name - Frank
Middle Name - A.
Last Name - Hanson
Sex - Male
Height - 5' 8" (68 Inches)
Weight - 140 lbs
Race / Ethnicity - White / Caucasian
Date of Last Contact - July 12, 1947
NamUs Case Created - September 16, 2023
Location - Cranston, Rhode Island 02920
County - Providence County
Circumstances of Disappearance - Frank had entered a sailboat race at the Edgewood Yacht Club with a friend. After the race, he stopped at Henry’s convenience store in Cranston, Rhode Island and visited with another friend who was working. Frank told him that might see him the next day. This was the last confirmed sighting of Frank.
Hair Color - Brown
Eye Color - Blue
Distinctive Physical Features - Full lips, olive complexion, large pock mark on lower right jaw, Chicken pox marks on left side of face and forehead, scar on right side of head, and appendix scar
Clothing and Accessories - White t-shirt - Brown plaid slacks (His name was printed inside his trouser pockets) - Loafer shoes
-

 

[MadMcGoo]

He’s listed on the 1950 census with a notation saying he’s missing and the police are investigating. I’ve never seen that before.

Frank Albin “Sonny” Hanson Jr. (1931-1947) - Find...

15-year-old Frank Hanson disappeared on 7/12/47 in Cranston, RI. He is presumed deceased; his remains never found. In 2023, a memorial stone was placed across from his parents' Frank & Anna's burial spot (Section D West, Row A, Lot 10, Graves 3 & 4) at Pawtuxet Memorial Park in Warwick, RI.

www.findagrave.com

15-year-old Frank Hanson disappeared on 7/12/47 in Cranston, RI. He is presumed deceased; his remains never found.
In 2023, a memorial stone was placed across from his parents' burial spot at Pawtuxet Memorial Park in Warwick, RI.

 

[victoriarobinson642]

The Tampa Tribune from Tampa, Florida - Newspapers.com

Get this The Tampa Tribune page for free from Sunday, December 14, 1947 3 ti -rrrv? yarrCfyiJ uiyN, rm a v.i iJ fv 7 4- I i.vJ TAMPA SUNDAY TRIBUNE 2-A Sunday, Dec. 14.. Edition of The Tampa Tribune

www.newspapers.com

Photo of Frank from the Tampa Tribune. Apparently authorities had reason to believe he might have been in Florida.

 

[chaddylex]

Added to NamUs on November 1, 2023

 

[MadMcGoo]

I wonder why they’re looking in Florida.

 

[chaddylex]

I wonder why they’re looking in Florida.

I was wondering the same thing.

 

[summergirl1]

Who had the memorial bench put up? His sister maybe deceased now as she was in her early 90s as of the top article, but if not, DNA from her would be a good thing to have, or if not her, her descendants if any. I would think it was likely his body seen in the river however he got there, but it was never located again. If his body was in the river, would it eventually have ended up in the ocean? It's highly unlikely any remains of him will ever turn up even just fragments, but DNA is always a good thing to have.

 

[summergirl1]

This is some more info on the Pawtuxet River. It does empty into the ocean. "It flows 12.3 miles (19.8 km)[1] and empties into the upper Narragansett Bay of the Atlantic Ocean". So perhaps that's where his body ended up. I did notice on the Doe Network that many Rhode Island John Does were found in or near water.

I didn't see any one that could be him, but another thing I noticed was that many of the male Doe remains were partial remains, I'm sure due to being in water or having been in water ( found along a river bank, etc). It of course is not impossible Frank Hanson's body wasn't disposed of ( assuming he was murdered) in a way that didn't involve water, but given that he vanished from Rhode Island, probably not. And it is possible his remains ended up somewhere else in nearby states due to water. Some of the Rhode Island John Does were perhaps carried by water from somewhere else.

 

[John/Jane Doe]

5954DMRI - Frank Albin Hanson Jr

 

[longthymelurker]

About 7 p.m. on Saturday, July 12, 1947, Frank Hanson walked into Henry’s, a Cranston version of a 7-Eleven long before that chain was founded. I worked there five nights a week and on one of the weekend days.

I asked Frank how he had done earlier that day in a sailboat race at the Edgewood Yacht Club. Frank crewed for Herb Browne, one of the best sailors at the club. I was not surprised when Frank told me they had won again, because the Browne-Hanson team had the best record on Narragansett Bay.

Frank asked me if I was going to play baseball the next day. I told him I might have to work.

He smiled and said, “Maybe I’ll see you tomorrow.”

Those words and that smile have stayed with me for the past 72 years, because I never heard his voice or saw Frank Hanson again.

STILL MISSING: Author haunted by disappearance of Cranston friend 72 years ago

That is a beautiful article!

 

[ifindedout]

5954DMRI - Frank Albin Hanson Jr

From this page, BBM:
Bloodhounds led police to an abandoned Buttonwoods Line trestle. It was thought Frank may have fallen off the structure, hit his head, and drowned in the Pawtuxet River. Frank often used the old trestle as a shortcut to the new home Frank's parents were building.

I think this is the location of the trestle, or rather a newer road/rail bridge on the same site. The old one was probably made of wood, and aerial maps show that it disappeared between 1955 and 1963.

Google Maps

Find local businesses, view maps and get driving directions in Google Maps.

www.google.com

At the time Frank disappeared, the trestle was owned by the Warwick Railway, a freight shortline that is now part of the Providence and Worcester Railroad's network.

Warwick Railway - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

edit 1: adjusted above link
edit 2: correct year to a year range

 

[GJH]

I hope this helps.
GJC

 

[John/Jane Doe]

Frank Albin Hanson Jr. – The Charley Project