Wallace Hall was born 5/14/1921, in Little Rock, AR. He joined the Marine Corps on 10/09/1939, and left the Marine Corps (and joined the Air Force the next day!) on 9/20/1949. He served aboard the USS West Virginia from 12/23/1939 to 12/7/1941. He served throughout the Pacific during the war (he was the prison warden at Pearl Harbor at some point; the survivors of the Japanese midget submarines that also attacked Pearl Harbor were there), including Johnson Island (mortar platoon sergeant), Okinawa, and China after the war (1st Marine Division, 7th Marines, 3rd Battalion). He served aboard the USS
Kearsarge after China, from 12/23/1948 to 9/13/1949. He was the youngest Sergeant Major in the Marine Corps; he was 22 at the time of
that promotion, 8/19/1943. He passed away on 5/03/1997. (His quick promotions is an interesting story. He took an exam, for corporal, I
think, and made a perfect score. (He was promoted to corporal on 1/20/1942, so this must have been around the time of Pearl Harbor.) No one had ever made a perfect score on the test before, so he was accused of cheating, and had to take the exam again. Another perfect score. After that, he never took another test, and was promoted as soon as he was eligible.)

Submitted by Brian Hall son of Wallace Hall
BrianHall@pobox.com

Wallace Hall's service record:

Marine Corps service:

Serial number 275 437. MOS number 584. Grade: Sergeant Major.
Inducted in Birmingham, AL, 10/09/1939.
Separated Boston, MA, 9/20/1949.
Basic training in San Diego, CA.

Sixteenth Defense Battalion

Division: 1st Marine Division.
Regiment: 7th Marines.
Company: Headquarters Company 3rd Battalion.

Ships:
USS West Virginia, 12/23/1939 - 12/7/1941
USS Kearsarge, 12/23/1948 - 9/13/1949

Promotions:
Private First Class 6/19/1940
Corporal 1/20/1942
Sergeant 5/6/1942
Platoon Sergeant 12/1/1942
Gunnery Sergeant 2/17/1943
First Sergeant 7/6/1943
Sergeant Major 8/19/1943

Overseas Service
Departure Date 12/23/1939, Long Beach, CA.
Return Date 1/18/1944 San Diego, CA.
USS West Virginia - Christmas Island, Pearl Harbor.
Johnson Island, Russell Islands, Soloman Islands, Caroline Islands, 
Okinawa, China.

Departure Date 12/14/1944, Oceanside, CA.
Return Date 4/10/1946, Oceanside, CA.

USS Kearsarge - Cuba, Haiti, Trinidad, Nova Scotia.

Battles
Pearl Harbor, 12/7/1941.
Okinawa 4/1/1945 - 6/21/1945.

Commanding officers:
T. Holcomb, Lt. Gen. USMC
A. A. VanDegrift, Gen. USMC
Clifton B. Cates, Gen. USMC


Wounds/Hospitalization
Naval Hospital, Pearl Harbor 1/10/1942 - 1/25/1942


Awards
Presidential Unit Citations
Good Conduct Medal
Asiatic Pacific Campaign Medal
China Service Medal
American Defense Medal
Victory Medal
Navy Occupation Medal


And Air Force:

Serial number 11-193-046. Grade: Technical Sergeant.
Inducted in Boston, MA, 9/21/1949.
Discharged Rapid City, South Dakota, 7/16/1954.
Basic training in San Antonio, TX.

Division: 28th PDM Squadron, Rapid City Air Force Base, South Dakota.

Training:
Aircraft and Engine Mechanics School, Wichita Falls, TX.
B 36 Specialized Course, Wichita Falls, TX.
R 4360 Specialized Engine Course, Champaign, Illinois.