Skip to main content

SERIES CONCLUSION


Blog Post 11 of 11


S/Sgt. Hall’s fearlessness, determined fighting spirit, and his prodigious combat skill exemplify the heroic tradition of the American Infantryman.  It is heroes like him that allow us to enjoy the freedoms of life here in the United States. This Purple Heart recipient would also receive the Medal of Honor (MOH) and Rome posthumously awarded him their Medal of Valor.  He was, and still is to this day, Stoneham’s only Medal of Honor recipient
S/Sgt. Hall refused burial at the Arlington National Cemetery where most heroes are buried.  Instead, he requested burial in his beloved home town of Stoneham, Massachusetts where he now rests in the St Patrick’s Cemetery located on Elm Street.
The VFW named after him that was once located on Hancock Street in Stoneham, has since been torn down and a new commercial building stands in its place.  During the hot summer months, children still frolic in the town's community pool, but are they are aware of its namesake?
We must not forget how diligently our sailors and soldiers fight to ensure our freedom. Nor should we forget the heroic actions of our brave men like S/Sgt. Hall during WWII. Or, the 3,517 Medal of Honors awarded to service members of WWII and the entire 1.8 million Purple Heart recipients since its inception during the revolutionary war. Indeed, all of our Veterans, living or diseased should forever be held with the highest regards and remembrance for their selfless duties to preserve freedom for America and the safety of the world.


###

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

A DAY THAT WILL LIVE IN INFAMY Today marks the 76 th  anniversary of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in Hawaii.  " A day that will live in infamy”  as then President Roosevelt proclaimed.   In the early morning hours of December 7 th in 1941, a swarm of 360 Japanese warplanes completely surprised our forces at the U.S. Naval Base in Pearl Harbor.  More than 2,400 Navy, Marines, and Army personnel perished on that ill-fated day. Almost half of the casualties were from the sinking of the naval battleship, the USS Arizona and much of the U.S. Pacific Fleet was decimated. Of the Pacific Fleet, 3 destroyers, 5 of the fleet's 8 battleships and 7 other ships were sunk or severely damaged. Additionally, more than 200 aircraft, both on the ground and aboard ship were demolished. The horrific attack and toll on the United States was remembered today with a moment of silence at 7:55 a.m., and a flyover by the U.S. Air Force and the Hawaiian Air National Guard at the
WHITE HOUSE ANSWERS THE CALL OF VETERANS As part of President Trump’s commitment to reform the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), the White House launched a VA Hotline in June 2017 to assist with the needs of Veterans.  Over the summer, Veterans demonstrated they responded best when their calls are answered by fellow Veterans or others that have first-hand experience on their issues.  Upon learning of their preference, the newly formed VA Hotline began operating around-the-clock by a team of mostly Veterans in October of this year.   The phone is staffed either by Veterans or family members who have direct knowledge of the particular needs of a Veteran.  These Agents can use their experiences to address the concerns of Veterans in the best way possible and can guide them through the many resources the VA offers.  To keep abreast of the array of services that the VA offers to Veterans, VA Hotline Agents undergo regular updates and training on available resources.  Tra
THE HERO’S STANCE AT ANZIO Blog Post 8 of 11 “Rat-a-tat-tat” the German machine guns blasted, their bullets plucking the barren dirt all around him.  Intrepidly, he reached his first quest - the enemy's nest.  He was outnumbered by six against his lone soul, odds clearly not in his favor.  Yet he bravely handled his charge and boldly hurled four grenades into their trench.  With a loud deafening explosion, he heard the sound of success as his ammo hit their mark.  When the smoke cleared, two enemy soldiers lay dead, the other four captured and marched back to his unit’s foxhole.   He was now out of ammunition having used the last four of his Army issued grenades.  Spotting a cache of the enemy’s grenades, a German “potato masher,” he quickly seized this horde and continued on his valiant mission.  Laden with the weight of ammunition and his rifle, he continued across the forsaken field, wiggling his body forward, crawling, crawling driven by the importance of h