William Evens Hall | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Nickname(s) | "Bill" |
| Born | October 22, 1907 McAlester, Oklahoma, US |
| Died | May 28, 1984 (aged 76) Washington, D.C., US |
| Buried | |
| Allegiance | United States |
| Service/ | United States Air Force |
| Years of service | 1929–1961 |
| Rank | Lieutenant General |
| Commands held | 15th Air Force; Continental Air Command |
| Battles/wars | World War II |
| Awards | Reserve Officer's Association Minuteman Hall of Fame |
William Evens Hall (22 October 1907[1] – 28 May 1984) was an American military officer who retired with the rank of lieutenant general in the United States Air Force.
Early life and education
Hall was born in McAlester, Oklahoma[2] on 22 October 1907. He attended the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, graduating with the class of 1929. He was commissioned in the artillery.[3] Following four years service with the Field Artillery, he entered Primary Flying School at Randolph Field, Texas, in 1933 and graduated from the Advanced Flying School at Kelly Field later that year,[2] receiving his wings as a pilot in the old Army Air Corps.[3]
He served actively during World War II, first as Deputy Chief of the Air Staff, Headquarters U.S. Army Air Forces and later as Deputy Commander of the 15th Air Force in Bari, Italy. After the war he was placed in charge of the United States Continental Air Command, an organization of more than 15,000 military personnel and over 8,000 civilian employees, and served as Senior Member and Air Force Representative to the United Nations Military Staff Committee in New York.
Personal life
His first marriage, to Helena Callaway, with whom he had four children, ended in divorce.[3] He was later married to photojournalist Marguerite Higgins from 1952 until her death in 1966. His second marriage produced three children, one of whom died in infancy.
An enthusiastic sportsman, he was active in athletics while at West Point where as a first classman, he captained the track team and received All-America honorable mention as a football center.[2]
He was a boating and motorcycle enthusiast. He also loved animals, owning a kitten, two dogs (one a deaf Dalmatian), a canary and two parakeets.[2]
Honors
Lieutenant General Hall's decorations included the Distinguished Service Medal, the Legion of Merit, the Bronze Star and the Air Medal.[1][3]
Death and legacy
He died at Cape Canaveral Hospital in Cape Canaveral, Florida, of internal hemorrhaging on May 28, 1984.[3]
References
- 1 2 Fogerty, Robert P. (1953). "Biographical Data on Air Force General Officers, 1917-1952, Volume 1 – A thru L" (PDF). Air Force Historical Research Agency. pp. 738–740. USAF historical studies: no. 91. Archived (PDF) from the original on August 31, 2021. Retrieved November 9, 2021.
- 1 2 3 4 "Lieutenant General William E. Hall". U.S. Air Force Biographies. United States Air Force. Retrieved 21 August 2019.
- 1 2 3 4 5 "William E. Hall Dies". The Washington Post. May 30, 1984.