World War II Honoree

William E. Hall

Branch of Service

U.S. Navy

Hometown

Storrs, Utah

Honored By

Ralph Bozorth

WAS AWARDED THE CONGRESSIONAL MEDAL OF HONOR. LIEUTENANT, JUNIOR GRADE, U.S. NAVAL RESERVE. PLACE AND DATE: CORAL SEA, 7 AND 8 MAY 1942. ENTERED SERVICE AT: UTAH. CITATION: FOR EXTREME COURAGE AND CONSPICUOUS HEROISM IN COMBAT ABOVE AND BEYOND THE CALL OF DUTY AS PILOT OF A SCOUTING PLANE IN ACTION AGAINST ENEMY JAPANESE FORCES IN THE CORAL SEA ON 7 AND 8 MAY 1942. IN A RESOLUTE AND DETERMINED ATTACK ON 7 MAY, LIEUTENANT (JUNIOR GRADE) HALL DIVED HIS PLANE AT AN ENEMY JAPANESE AIRCRAFT CARRIER, CONTRIBUTING MATERIALLY TO THE DESTRUCTION OF THAT VESSEL. ON 8 MAY, FACING HEAVY AND FIERCE FIGHTER OPPOSITION, HE AGAIN DISPLAYED EXTRAORDINARY SKILL AS AN AIRMAN AND THE AGGRESSIVE SPIRIT OF A FIGHTER IN REPEATED AND EFFECTIVELY EXECUTED COUNTERATTACKS AGAINST A SUPERIOR NUMBER OF ENEMY PLANES IN WHICH 3 ENEMY AIRCRAFT WERE DESTROYED. THOUGH SERIOUSLY WOUNDED IN THIS ENGAGEMENT, LIEUTENANT (JUNIOR GRADE) HALL, MAINTAINING THE FEARLESS AND INDOMITABLE TACTICS PURSUED THROUGHOUT THESE ACTIONS, SUCCEEDED IN LANDING HIS PLANE SAFE.