Garfield grad killed while serving in Iraq

Maj. William G. Hall had a wisdom, a maturity beyond his years that enabled him to provide sound counsel to his elders and, at the same time, guide those far younger than himself.

"He could be having a conversation with me and then my 10-year-old niece could walk in the room and he'd capture her like he'd just captured me," said Maj. Hall's eldest sister, Dolores Perry, 56, of Seattle. "He could talk to anyone — from the minister to a drug addict. He was just that kind of person."

Maj. Hall, a 1987 graduate of Seattle's Garfield High School, embodied a quiet strength and respect for tradition — both the traditions of the Marine Corps, where he moved up the ranks over the course of his 15-year career, and his family's traditions. Like coming home at Christmas and calling his mother at Easter time, like he did this past Easter Sunday.

It was 1 a.m. in Iraq and his voice sounded tired, Perry said.

"He didn't say a lot. He just gave us the reassurance he was OK," she said.

It was their last conversation.

Maj. Hall — who was called "Billy" by those closest to him — was injured in Iraq's Anbar province by an improvised explosive device on March 29 and died the following day. He was 38.

Before his unit deployed to Iraq in mid-February, Maj. Hall was selected for promotion to lieutenant colonel, said Maj. Jason Johnston, who is based at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar in San Diego, Calif. Though Maj. Hall's unit — the 3rd Low Altitude Air Defense Battalion, Marine Air Control Group 38, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, I Marine Expeditionary Force — was based at Camp Pendleton, it was attached to the Miramar air station, Johnston said.

"We went through basics school together and we were, off and on, in touch throughout our careers," Johnston said. "I talked to him just before he left."

Maj. Hall would have been promoted to his new rank sometime this year, Johnston said.

After graduating from Garfield, Maj. Hall earned a bachelor's degree in physical education from Washington State University in 1992. While at WSU, he enrolled in the Reserve Officers Training Corps, later joining the Marines. He met his future wife while assigned to a base in Florida, and he later served in Georgia, Japan and California.

According to his family, this was Maj. Hall's second deployment to Iraq, where he was training Iraqi troops to take over the duties of American soldiers. And while he didn't try to downplay the danger he faced, Maj. Hall also spoke of the good things happening in the war-torn country.

"I know most of what you hear on the news about Iraq is not usually good news and that so many are dying over here," Maj. Hall wrote in a March 27 e-mail to his family, two days before he was fatally wounded. "That is true to an extent but it does not paint the total picture and violence is not everywhere throughout the country. So please don't associate what you see on the news with all of Iraq."

He ended his e-mail with: "Love you and miss you. I'll write again soon."

In addition to Perry, his sister, Maj. Hall is survived by his wife, Xiomara Hall; daughters Tatianna, 6, and Gladys, 3; stepsons Xavier, 13, and Xander, 9, all of Temecula, Calif.; his mother, Mildred Hall, of Seattle; sister Margie Bell of Renton; aunt Alberta Hall of Seattle; uncle Howard Berry of Kent, and several nieces and nephews.

The public is welcome to attend a memorial service for Maj. Hall that will include military honors at 11 a.m. Saturday at Seattle's Tabernacle Missionary Baptist Church, 2801 S. Jackson St. A memorial service is also to be held Monday at Camp Pendleton, Calif.

Maj. Hall will be buried sometime next week at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia.

Flowers and letters of condolence can be sent to Mildred Hall, 10766 68th Ave. S., Seattle WA 98178.

Sara Jean Green: 206-515-5654 or sgreen@seattletimes.com