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Charles B. Hall

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Charles B. Hall
Born
Charles Blakesly Hall

August 25, 1920
Brazil, Indiana, US
DiedNovember 22, 1971(1971-11-22) (aged 51)
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, US
Resting placeSpencer, Oklahoma - Hillcrest Memorial Gardens
Occupations
  • Military officer
  • fighter pilot

Charles Blakesly "Buster" Hall (August 25, 1920 – November 22, 1971) was an iconic, highly decorated combat fighter pilot and U.S. Army Air Force/U.S. Air Force officer with the 332nd Fighter Group's 99th Fighter Squadron, best known as the Tuskegee Airmen or "Red Tails".[1][2][3]

Highly celebrated by the African American press during World War II, Hall became the first African American combat fighter pilot to shoot down enemy aircraft.[4][5][6][7]

General Dwight D. Eisenhower personally met and congratulated Hall on his victory.[1][2] Hall also became the first African American combat fighter pilot to earn the Distinguished Flying Cross.[2]

Hall was also notable for being one of only nine 332nd Fighter Group pilots with at least three confirmed kills during World War II.[8][6]

Early Life, Education, Family, Marriages

Hall was born on August 25, 1920 at his parents home on 742 N. Columbia Street in rural Brazil, Indiana, Clay County.[9][4] He was the son of Mississippi native Franklin Hall, a kiln-burner, and Mississippi native Anna Blakesly Hall.[4]

Hall was a 1938 graduate of Brazil High School, where he excelled in academics, football and track and field.[1][9][6] Hall attended Eastern Illinois University, majoring in Pre-Medicine. While at Eastern Illinois, Hall participated in sports and worked a job as a waiter.[4]

On December 14, 1942, Hall married stenographer Maxine Jessie Parish Hall in Vigo County, Indiana. There is no documented information on Hall's marriage and probable divorce to Maxine. Hall also married a Emma Jeanne Hall Ackiss.[10] There is no documented information on Hall's marriage and probable divorce to Emma. Hall had a daughter, Peggy Ann Hall-Lofties who is still living [1] born August 9, 1956 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma with ex-fiancé Ida Mae Mucker ( February 2, 1929- April 24,1987).[11] the couple's marriage plans were discussed but never took place.[2]

Hall later married Lola Delois Miles Hall (February 18, 1933 - August 7, 1997), an Oklahoma City, Oklahoma native. Hall and Lola were married until Hall's death.[2][4] The Halls had one biological child together, Kelli Ann-Hall Jones, born December 1961.[12] She is still living, and Charles also had one stepdaughter by his wife Lola, Sherri Lynn Hall-Harris from his wife's previous relationship. She is still living; it is not known if her mother legally had Sherri's name changed to Hall or not but he considered her like his own loving biological daughter.[13][6]

Military career

In 1941, Hall enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Corps as an aviation cadet, serial number 0790457, at Lawrence, Indiana's Fort Benjamin Harrison.[9][4] In 1942 he was assigned to Tuskegee, Alabama to attend Advanced Flight Cadet Training at the Tuskegee Army Airfield.[4] On July 3, 1942, Hall graduated from the program's fourth-ever Cadet Class Single Engine Section SE-42-F, earning his wings and a commission as a 2nd Lieutenant.[1] He was then assigned to the 332nd Fighter Group's 99th Fighter Squadron.[4] Hall was briefly assigned to the 324th Fighter Group.[9]

During World War II, Hall, nicknamed "Buster", flew 198 missions over North Africa, Italy, the Mediterranean and Europe.[2][3]

On his eighth mission in the European Theater/Mediterranean Theater on July 2, 1943, Hall and his squadron escorted B-25 medium bombers on a raid on Castelvetrano Airfield in southwestern Sicily, Italy.[5] Flying in a P-40, Hall shot down a German Focke-Wulf Fw 190 Würger. Hall became first African American combat fighter pilot ever to shoot down an enemy aircraft.[4] After Hall's victory, the 99th Fighter Squadron, in lieu of Champagne, awarded "Buster" Hall the last chilled bottle of Coca-Cola on base at that time.[14][3] Hall's victory was the 99th Fighter Squadron's sole aerial victory in 1943.[5]

Hall became the first African American fighter pilot to earn the Distinguished Flying Cross.[2] He became an immediate star of the African American press. On July 10, 1943, Pittsburgh Courier war correspondent Edgar T. Rouzeau ran a lead that celebrated Hall’s July 2, 1943 aerial victory.[6] The Courier‘s piece with a massive headline, “99th PILOT DOWNS NAZI PLANE”, featured editorial cartoonist Sam Milai's compelling cartoon depiction of Hall in his flight gear.[6] Other African American publications including the Baltimore-based Afro-American, the Chicago Defender, the New York Amsterdam News, the Atlanta Daily World ran similar leads highlighting Hall's exploits.[6]

Supreme Allied Commander and General Dwight Eisenhower, visiting troops in North Africa with senior officers including General Jimmy Doolittle and General Carl Spaatz, stopped by the 99th Fighter Squadron's base to personally congratulate Hall.[1] Major General John K. Cannon, Commanding General, Twelfth Air Force, also personally congratulated Hall.[1]

On January 27 and 28, 1944 in Anzio, Italy, large formations of German FW 190s raided Anzio. The 99th Squadron downed eleven enemy German aircraft. Now a Captain, Hall downed two German FW 190s, raising his aerial victories to three.[2] Hall earned the Distinguished Flying Cross for his valiant achievements.[2]

Hall was one of only nine 332nd Fighter Group pilots with at least three confirmed kills during World War II:

  • Joseph Elsberry - 332nd Fighter Group's 301st Fighter Squadron - 4 Confirmed Kills, 1 Possible
  • Edward L. Toppins - 332nd Fighter Group's 99th Fighter Squadron - 4 Confirmed Kills, 1 Possible
  • Lee Archer (pilot) - 332nd Fighter Group's 302nd Fighter Squadron - 4 Confirmed Kills
  • Leonard M. Jackson - 332nd Fighter Group's 99th Fighter Squadron - 3 Confirmed Kills
  • Clarence D. Lester - 332nd Fighter Group's 100th Fighter Squadron - 3 Confirmed Kills
  • Wendell O. Pruitt - 332nd Fighter Group's 302nd Fighter Squadron - 3 Confirmed Kills
  • Roger Romine - 332nd Fighter Group's 302nd Fighter Squadron - 3 Confirmed Kill, 1 Unconfirmed
  • Harry Stewart, Jr. - 332nd Fighter Group's 301st Fighter Squadron - 3 Confirmed Kills

Later in 1944, Hall arrived back in the United States, traveling extensively on an official tour to ramp up the sale of war bonds.[6] Hall later returned to Tuskegee, becoming a flight instructor. In 1946, Hall left the U.S. Army Air Corps with the rank of Major.[15][6]

Freeman Field Mutiny

He was one of ten officers to preside over the Freemen Field Mutiny Court-Martials, appointed by General Frank O'Driscoll Hunter. They were: Colonel Benjamin O. Davis Jr., Captain George L. Knox II, Captain James T. Wiley, captain John H. Duren, Captain Charles R. Stanton, captain William T. Yates, Captain Elmore M. Kennedy, Captain Fitzroy Newsum, 1st Lieutenant William Robert Ming Jr. and 1st Lieutenant James Y. Carter. Trial Judge Advocates were: Captain James W. Redden and 1st Lieutenant Charles B. Hall.[16]

Post-military career

After leaving the military, Hall moved to Chicago where he worked as an insurance agent.[1] In 1948, Hall moved to Oklahoma where he briefly worked at a drug store and managed a restaurant. Like many African American World War II veteran pilots, Hall could not find substantive jobs with the commercial airlines or commercial transport company based on his race.[3]{[rp|}}

In 1949, Hall worked at Tinker Air Force Base until 1967 before landing a role at the Federal Aviation Administration in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.[2][6] He later became a well-known insurance agent in Oklahoma City.[15]

Death

Hall died on November 22, 1971 in Oklahoma City at the age of 51.[6] Hall was interred at Spencer, Oklahoma's Hillcrest Memorial Gardens in the Garden of Devotion section, Lot 160, Section B, Grave #3.[15][2] The local paper made little mention of Hall's history in World War II.[6]

Legacy

  • Hall's hometown of Brazil, Indiana named a street "Major Charles B. Baker Street" in honor of Hall.[17]
  • On July 24, 1994, the USS ALABAMA Battleship Memorial honored Hall for being the first Tuskegee Airman to shoot down a German plane on June 21, 1943. The Memorial also renamed its North AmericanP-51D Mustang |4474216 - USAF for fellow Tuskegee Airman Leon C. Roberts who hailed from the Mobile, Alabama area. Robert's mother, Nellie Roberts, twin brother and former Tuskegee Airmen [[DOTA] Cleon Roberts, and sister Imogene Roberts Howard represented Roberts' family at the ceremony. Tuskegee Airman Herbert Carter served as the keynote speaker. [18]
  • The 1997 GI Joe Classic Collection Tuskegee Bomber Pilot (WWII Forces Collection GI Joe Limited Edition) featured Hall.[19]
  • On June 18, 2002, the Tinker Heritage Airpark was renamed the Major Charles B. Hall Airpark in his honor.[20]
  • In August 2009, Hall's hometown of Brazil, Indiana dedicated a monument to Hall.[21] Its inscription reads:

    Major Charles B. Hall - 08-25-1920 to 11-22-1971 - Brazil native and World War II Hero, Mr. Hall became a member of the Tuskegee Airmen. Mr. Hall was one of the first 43 African American pilots assigned to combat duty with the 99th Pursuit Squadron 332d Fighter Group (the Red Tails). On July 2, 1943 Lt. Hall earned the Distinguished Flying Cross for shooting down a German Focke-Wulf 190 during a mission over [Panelleria, Tunisia, North Africa]. In doing so, he became the first African-American pilot to earn official credit for destroying an enemy airplane in the Second World War. After retiring as a Major in the Air Force, he resided in Oklahoma City until his death in 1971. The airplane above is a replica of the P-40 flown by Major Hall in 1943.[22]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g "Charles Blakeley Hall". CAF Rise Above. Retrieved 19 September 2021.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j "Tuskegee Airmen profiles: Captain Charles B. Hall". Tuskegee Airmen Museum. Retrieved 19 September 2021.
  3. ^ a b c d Buckley, Gail (2002). American Patriots: The Story of Blacks in the Military from the Revolution to Desert Storm. Random House Trade Paperbacks. ISBN 9780375760099.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i Mildred Taylor (2 July 2021). "HISTORY: Charles Hall, the first African-American pilot to shoot down a Nazi plane on this day in 1943". Face to Face Africa.
  5. ^ a b c "The Tuskegee Airmen". Aces of WWII. Retrieved 19 September 2021.
  6. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Marc Lancaster (2 July 2020). "Tuskegee Airmen: Charles B. Hall records 99th's First Victory". World War II on Deadline. Retrieved 19 September 2021.
  7. ^ TUSKEGEE AIRMEN CHRONOLOGY. DANIEL L. HAULMAN. ORGANIZATIONAL HISTORY BRANCH. AIR FORCE HISTORICAL RESEARCH AGENCY. MAXWELL AFB, AL 36112-6424. 14 November 2011 "2 July 1943: While escorting B-25 medium bombers on a raid on Castelvetrano in southwestern Sicily, Italy, 1st Lt. Charles B. Hall of the 99th Fighter Squadron earned the first Tuskegee Airmen aerial victory credit by shooting down an FW-190 enemy aircraft." https://www.tuskegee.edu/Content/Uploads/Tuskegee/files/TUSKEGEE_AIRMEN_CHRONOLOGY12.2011.pdf
  8. ^ "Tuskegee Airmen Pilot Roster". CAF Rise Above. CAF Rise Above. Retrieved 11 August 2020.
  9. ^ a b c d "2 July 1943". This day in Aviation. Retrieved 19 September 2021.
  10. ^ Geni. "Emma Jeanne Hall." https://www.geni.com/people/Emma-Hall/6000000040733166101
  11. ^ Geni. "Peggy Ann Hall." https://www.geni.com/people/Peggy-Hall/6000000040733435834
  12. ^ https://www.geni.com/people/Kelli-Hall/6000000040733418886
  13. ^ https://www.geni.com/people/Sherri-Hall-Harris/6000000177490068873?through=6000000040732827282
  14. ^ The Oklahoman. "Tuskegee Legacy: Descendants, others gather in Oklahoma City to honor black WWII airmen." Darla Slipke. Published: Fri, July 10, 2015. https://www.oklahoman.com/article/5432804/tuskegee-legacy-descendants-others-gather-in-oklahoma-city-to-honor-black-wwii-airmen
  15. ^ a b c "Roll of Honor - U.S. Army - Deceased - Hall, Charles B, MAJ". Together We Served. Retrieved 19 September 2021.
  16. ^ Reilly, Thomas; Homan, Lynn (2008). Black Knights: The Story of the Tuskegee Airmen (7 ed.). Gretna Louisiana: Pelican Publishing Company. p. 203. Retrieved 24 September 2021.
  17. ^ This 'n' That. "CHARLES B. HALL - FIRST BLACK AMERICAN PILOT TO SHOOT DOWN AN ENEMY AIRCRAFT." Posted August 05, 2007. https://ramasuntiger.blogspot.com/2007/08/charles-b-hall-first-black-american.html
  18. ^ Sharing the legacy. "SHARING THE LEGACY of TUSKEGEE AIRMEN." Published February 13, 2012. http://thenewjournalandguide.com/sharing-the-legacy/
  19. ^ Black Doll Collecting by Debbie Behan Garrett @blackdollcollecting.blogspot.com https://blackdollcollecting.blogspot.com/2010/10/gi-joe-tuskegee-airmen.html
  20. ^ TINKER AIR FORCE BASE "Charles B. Hall Airpark." https://www.tinker.af.mil/About-Us/Charles-B-Hall-Air-Park/
  21. ^ BRAZIL TIMES. "Board of Works approves placement of Hall memorial." y JASON MOON, Managing Editor. AUGUST 5, 2007.
  22. ^ Black Doll Collecting by Debbie Behan Garrett @blackdollcollecting.blogspot.com https://blackdollcollecting.blogspot.com/2010/10/gi-joe-tuskegee-airmen.html
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