Fallen but not forgotten: Lt. Col. William Hall
Posted: Wednesday, April 23, 2008 2:30 PM by Daily Nightly Contributor
Filed Under:
John Rutherford
By John Rutherford, Producer, NBC News, Washington
Marine Lt. Col. William Hall of Seattle had two loves in his life: the Marine Corps and his family.
"He was very proud to be a Marine," his cousin told KING. "He ate, lived and breathed the Marine Corps. He was even excited about going to serve in Iraq."
Hall deployed to Iraq in February and sent his family and friends an e-mail in March.
"Please don't think that I am trying to paint the picture of this country as a rose garden, 
because it isn't," he wrote. "It's still a very dangerous place, and people are dying here every day. I am doing fine, I am safe, and will wrote again soon."
Hall died the next day of wounds suffered in a roadside bombing in Fallujah. He was 38 years old.
"I can't tell you how fine this young man was - the finest husband, father, son, Marine, individual - warm, gracious, just our very best," a friend told the Seattle Post-Intelligencer.
Hall was a graduate of Washington State University and had a master's degree from the University of Phoenix. He served 15 years in the Marine Corps.
"He could have chosen anything, an astronaut, an engineer, anything," another cousin told KCPQ. "He was dedicated."
Hall was buried today with full military honors at Arlington National Cemetery. He is survived by his widow, Xiomara, and daughters, Tatianna, 6, and Gladys, 3, and stepsons, Xavier, 13, and Xander, 9.
Click here to view tributes to the 153 service members killed this year in Iraq and Afghanistan, including the following nine casualties from last week:
1. Marine Cpl. Richard Nelson, 23, of Racine, Wis.
2. Marine Lance Cpl. Dean Opicka, 29, of Waukesha, Wis.
3. Army Sgt. Joseph Richard III, 27, of Lafayette, La.
4. Army Spc. Arturo Huerta-Cruz, 23, of Clearwater, Fla.
5. Marine 1st Sgt. Luke Mercardante, 35, of Athens, Ga.
6. Marine Cpl. Kyle Wilks, 24, of Rogers, Ark.
7. Army Staff Sgt. Jason Brown, 29, of Magnolia, Texas.
8. Army Sgt. Lance Eakes, 25, of Apex, N.C.
9. Army Spc. Benjamin Brosh, 22, of Colorado Springs, Colo.
Washington Producer John Rutherford is a decorated Vietnam veteran. He also posts stories on the military at www.fieldnotes.msnbc.com (click on "John Rutherford" under "categories") and at http://john-rutherford.newsvine.com/. The tribute gallery can be found at http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22802019/.
