Hal served as a Private, Company C, 853rd Engineer Battalion, Aviation, U.S. Army Air Force during World War II.

He resided in Cleveland County, North Carolina prior to the the war.

He enlisted in the Army on December 17, 1942 in Camp Croft, South Carolina. He was noted, at the time of his enlistment, as being employed in the manufacture of textiles and also as Married.

Hal was a passenger on the HMT Rohna.

The Rohna and four other troop ships left Oran in French Algeria with cargo and troops. Off Béjaïa, Algeria the convoy was attacked by an estimated 60 German Luftwaffe Heinkel 177's. One of the 177's, piloted by Hans Dochtermann, released a glide bomb that hit Rohna on her port side and she eventually sank.

1,138 men were killed, including 1,015 U.S. personnel. The attack is the largest loss of US troops at sea due to enemy action in a single incident. 35 U.S. troops of the 2,000 originally embarked later died of wounds.

Hal " Died Of Wounds " in this sinking during the war.

He was awarded the Purple Heart.

Service # 34595942

( Bio by: Russ Pickett )

Hal served as a Private, Company C, 853rd Engineer Battalion, Aviation, U.S. Army Air Force during World War II.

He resided in Cleveland County, North Carolina prior to the the war.

He enlisted in the Army on December 17, 1942 in Camp Croft, South Carolina. He was noted, at the time of his enlistment, as being employed in the manufacture of textiles and also as Married.

Hal was a passenger on the HMT Rohna.

The Rohna and four other troop ships left Oran in French Algeria with cargo and troops. Off Béjaïa, Algeria the convoy was attacked by an estimated 60 German Luftwaffe Heinkel 177's. One of the 177's, piloted by Hans Dochtermann, released a glide bomb that hit Rohna on her port side and she eventually sank.

1,138 men were killed, including 1,015 U.S. personnel. The attack is the largest loss of US troops at sea due to enemy action in a single incident. 35 U.S. troops of the 2,000 originally embarked later died of wounds.

Hal " Died Of Wounds " in this sinking during the war.

He was awarded the Purple Heart.

Service # 34595942

( Bio by: Russ Pickett )