William E. Hall (October 31, 1913 – November 15, 1996) was a United States Naval Reserve officer and a recipient of the United States military's highest decoration—the Medal of Honor—for his actions during the Battle of the Coral Sea in World War II.
Hall joined the Navy from his birth state of Utah and by May 7, 1942 was a Lieutenant, Junior Grade, serving as a scout plane pilot. On that day, over the Coral Sea, he dive bombed a Japanese aircraf...
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William E. Hall (October 31, 1913 – November 15, 1996) was a United States Naval Reserve officer and a recipient of the United States military's highest decoration—the Medal of Honor—for his actions during the Battle of the Coral Sea in World War II.
Hall joined the Navy from his birth state of Utah and by May 7, 1942 was a Lieutenant, Junior Grade, serving as a scout plane pilot. On that day, over the Coral Sea, he dive bombed a Japanese aircraft carrier, contributing greatly to its destruction. The next day, he attacked a superior number of Japanese planes and shot down three. Although his craft was damaged and he was seriously wounded in this attack, he managed to land safely. For these actions, he was awarded the Medal of Honor.
Hall reached the rank of lieutenant commander before leaving the Navy. He died at age 83 and was buried in Fort Leavenworth National Cemetery, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas.
Hall's official Medal of Honor citation reads:
For extreme courage and conspicuous...
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