Today we honor Lance Cpl. David R. Hall, 31, of Elyria, Ohio, who died Aug. 31 while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. He was a rifleman assigned to 2nd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.
Please join us in learning a little about this man who meant so much to so many.
David Hall was a 1997 graduate of Southview High School who wanted to make a difference in the world. He was a gifted athelete, so going straight to college on an athletic scholarship was a real option for him. In fact, he joined his high school football team his senior year, became their first string quarterback, and earned a Division-III college scholarship. The scholarship did not appeal to him, though, so he moved to Chicago where he went to work for a camera shop.
He returned to Ohio a couple of years later and went to work for Ford at the Ohio Assembly Plant in Avon Lake and at the Lorain Assembly Plant.
Hall was hungry to make a positive impact, and was planning to go to school to become a nurse when a friend encouraged him to join the Marine Corps in 2006. Hall decided that he wanted to serve his country, but planned to return after his tours of duty to study nursing. Hall cared about people, particularly children, and he wanted to have a life as a nurse and settle down. More than anything, he wanted to have a family. His sister Lora recalled a phone conversation they had while he was in Afghanistan:
I said, 'I just want you to know you're our hero.' He said, 'Yeah, but heroes die.'
They don't want to be heroes. They want to make a difference, serve their country and come home alive. More than anything else in the world he wanted to come back alive and get married and have a family.
Lora said that she tried to talk him out of enlisting, but it was something that he had to do. In Afghanistan, one of Hall's duties was to go ahead of his unit with a detector and check for improvised explosive devices. Lora told reporters that he was on foot patrol when he was killed by an IED. Plain Dealer
Delmar Hall said that his son was proud to be a Marine, and enlisting was a decision that David never regretted -- he felt strongly about serving his country. David often reminded the people he loved to not take their rights and freedoms for granted, and to always appreciate what they had. He wanted them to never forget, whether they were discouraged or comfortable, but especially when they might get caught up and not pay attention. His sister Lora planned to talk about that when his body comes home and they have a gathering to celebrate his life:
I’m already starting to think about what I’m going to say, and I think I’m going to try and talk about how he wanted to make people appreciate freedom and all that means. We’re going to focus on that a lot. It’ll be comforting.
Chronicle-Telegram
Hall joined the Marine Corps in November 2006 and was promoted to the rank of lance corporal, Jan. 1, 2008. He deployed to Iraq from November 2007 to May 2008 where he trained Iraqi military police, and then he shipped to Afghanistan in May 2009. His awards include the National Defense, Iraqi Campaign and Global War on Terrorism Service Medals.
He is survived by his parents and three older sisters.
Go in peace, Lance Cpl. David R. Hall. Thank you for your service.
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Please remember that these comments will be read by friends and family who are torn by grief. Let us please leave politics aside as we enter and offer our respects and compassion.