Lance Cpl. John Edward Hale, who'd been in the war-torn country for three months, died when an improvised explosive device detonated. Hale, a 2005 graduate of Huntington High School and co-captain of the Raiders' football team, served with the 2/8th Marines, 1st Marine Expeditionary Force. John was so many things, it's hard to put into words. He had friends everywhere and was active in his church. As with many people, the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, galvanized him. He was very moved when it happened, and that was when he made up his mind to join the Marines. He was the all-American kid and was an excellent student in the classroom as well as a leader on the football field. He exhibited leadership qualities long before his senior year. He was a young man that any dad would be proud to have as a son. He was the best kind of guy, the kind that would give you the shirt off his back. The Marines, that's all he wanted to do ever since he was a freshman. And he said the reason he was going was for his family and his friends, the people that he loved. He was curious about everything. He used the long treks along the Ouachita Trail to prepare himself for service overseas. John was always a lot more mature than the other students his age. When John was a sophomore, he was about 30 years old. That was his maturity level. He is survived by his parents, Philip and Carol Hale, and four siblings, Paula Moreno, Sonia Langford, Justin Martin and Phillip Davenport. He was 20.
Lance Cpl. John Edward Hale, who'd been in the war-torn country for three months, died when an improvised explosive device detonated. Hale, a 2005 graduate of Huntington High School and co-captain of the Raiders' football team, served with the 2/8th Marines, 1st Marine Expeditionary Force. John was so many things, it's hard to put into words. He had friends everywhere and was active in his church. As with many people, the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, galvanized him. He was very moved when it happened, and that was when he made up his mind to join the Marines. He was the all-American kid and was an excellent student in the classroom as well as a leader on the football field. He exhibited leadership qualities long before his senior year. He was a young man that any dad would be proud to have as a son. He was the best kind of guy, the kind that would give you the shirt off his back. The Marines, that's all he wanted to do ever since he was a freshman. And he said the reason he was going was for his family and his friends, the people that he loved. He was curious about everything. He used the long treks along the Ouachita Trail to prepare himself for service overseas. John was always a lot more mature than the other students his age. When John was a sophomore, he was about 30 years old. That was his maturity level. He is survived by his parents, Philip and Carol Hale, and four siblings, Paula Moreno, Sonia Langford, Justin Martin and Phillip Davenport. He was 20.
Bio by: John Andrew Prime
