In 1936, he built a homemade trailer with his friend, future senator James A. Clark, Jr.
While traveling with Clark to the West Coast he was run over by a car in San Diego with only a sprained ankle as an injury.
In 1962, Hanna was selected by his childhood friend to run on a slate of candidates for Maryland State Delegate with Thomas E.
William Hanna, Edwin Wafield and Senator James A. Clark, Jr. would be the approvers of state money to provide road water and sewer for Columbia, MD.
In December 1971, Hanna replaces Edward L. Cochran as chairman of the Howard County Council by a 3-2 vote.