James Goodwin Hall

James Goodwin Hall (1896-1952) was an American stockbroker, business executive, pilot and horse breeder, and oversaw the 8th Air Force and 9th Air Force Photo Reconnaissance during World War II. He was critical in the establishment of Quarter Horses as a separate breed.

Early life

James Goodwin Hall was born October 12, 1896 to James Gustin Hall and Annie J. Virgin. His brother, Claude Pinkney Hall was born February 10, 1898.

World War I - 1922 Military Service

Hall served as a pilot during World War I. He enlisted in the Aviation Section of the Signal Corps on August 10, 1917; completed his preliminary training, and was commissioned January 18, 1918. He then trained in France in the Advanced Bombing School, Claremont Ferrand and assigned to duty with Escadrille BR III (French Day Bombardment Squadron.) On the 10th of October, 1918, he was relieved from duty with the French and assigned to the 163rd Day Bombardment Squadron, A.E.F.; he was appointed Flight Commander October 15, 1918. He served with this Squadron until hostilities ceased and the Group Commander on January 8, 1919, strongly recommended him for a commission in the Regular Army, stating that he had been under his own close observation, that he was excellent material, and that if commissioned he would like to have Lieutenant Hall under his own command. His Squadron Commander rated him as an excellent pilot and states that he performed all his duties as a Flight Commander with remarkable success. Hall served at the front lines until the Armistice.Aviation and Military Experience Document. Official Military Personnel File for James G. Hall O-469 875, undated. National Personnel Records Center, St. Louis, MO.Overview of Military Service. James G. Hall, O-489875. Official Military Personnel File. National Personnel Records Center, St. Louis, MO.

Hall was credited with the following World War I Campaigns.

* Champagne-Marne from 15 July 1918 - 18 July 1918
* Aisne-Marne from 18 July 1918 - 6 August 1918
* Montdider, Noyen from 8 August 1918 - 16 August 1918
* Oise Aisne 18 August 1918
* St. Mihiel from 12 September 1918 - 16 September 1918
* Meuse-Argonne from 26 September 1918 - 11 November 1918

He received the following awards.

* French Croix de Guerre with Palm and Star.
* Victory Medal with six battle clasps.

After the war ended, he returned to the U.S. in 1919 and was assigned to duty in the office of Chief of Air Corps. He was on duty as Pilot with the Victory Loan Flying Circus, Major H.J.F. Miller, Commander. They toured 22 states, and 30 cities in 30 days. He also completed a Naval Aviation course, seaplanes, flying boats, and navigation at North Island Naval Station in San Diego, California in October 1919. He then participated in the first transcontinental airplane race San Francisco to New York in October 1919. U.S. Army First Transcontinental Mail Survey. He then departed for the Philippine Islands where he was assigned as Flight Commander of 2nd Aero Squadron in December 1919.

James G. Hall chose to resign from the military in 1920. He wished to take a position in civil life due to the future of Air Service being unsettled and uncertain. He stated in a memo that it was not his intent to remain in service permanently. He was then approved for discharge from the military as a 1st Lieutenant in the Air Service, May 8, 1920, while still in Manila, Philippine Islands. Upon resignation, Hall accepted a position with the Curtiss Aeroplane and Motor Company as Assistant to the President in 1923.

When he returned to the U.S. from the Philippines in early summer of 1920, he lived life as a civilian before choosing to rejoin the Air Service almost a year later. Hall was commissioned a 2nd Lt. Air Service in the Officer Reserve Corps in April 1921. The commission was approved October 25, 1921. He reported for duty at Fort Sill, Oklahoma where he was appointed 2nd Lt. Field Artillery Regular Army, on 22 August 1921, commission effective November 1, 1921. He signed his Oath of Office for the 2nd Lt. Field Artillery on November 25, 1921.

Hall remained at Fort Sill as an artillery instructor until he requested a discharge by way of resignation. His wife was found to have tubercular trouble and a move to a warmer climate was required. During his time at Fort Sill, he was promoted to a 1st Lieutenant in a Field Artillery Division. His service ended and he officially resigned from the military as of August 25, 1922.

Career

James G. Hall had an exciting career that focused on aviation, transportation, and the stock market. The highlights of his career life, prior to World War II include:

* Completed reorganization work for the Curtiss Company in 1925. Associated with Howard Earle Coffin (Chairman, Aircraft Production Board, 1917-1918), from 1925 to 1930. Assisted in organization of National Air Transport, National Aeronautic Association and Curtiss-Wright.
* Around 1926-27, Hall was hired by Samuel Ungerleider & Company which had its headquarters in New York City.
* On December 14, 1928, Hall purchased a seat on the New York Stock Exchange. He later sold his seat only to return and purchase another on December 11, 1931. At that same time he joined the firm J.R. Timmins & Co.
* Hall formed a co-partnership with Collins, Hall & Peckham, a brokerage firm, on January 23, 1929.
* Later, he served as the vice president of Graham-Paige, a car company, where he was in charge of the Southwestern United States.

Aviation

On July 7, 1928, Hall and Enos Curtin, both employed by Samuel Ungerleider & Company, took off in Hall's Stearman seaplane from the East River in New York City. Destination was Oskelanco, in Northern Quebec, Canada. The objective of this bold journey was, according to numerous newspaper reports that covered this occurrence, to “inspect some mining properties related to gold” for Ungerleider’s Wall Street brokerage. Both men were expected back in New York that evening but failed to return. A sudden major localized rainstorm had brought the seaplane down 150 miles north of Oskelanco in Quebec, Canada – with a forced landing into a vast high mountain wilderness. Without any hope of rescue or being located, Hall, Curtin and intended return passenger R. T. Gilman of Montreal, had walked through the Canadian wilderness for several days.

In 1931, Hall became Commander of the Crusaders and helped to establish chapters throughout the U.S. to aid in the repeal of the 18th Amendment. He owned a Lockheed Orion "The Crusader" which established many flight records including the following:

* Los Angeles to New York
* New York to Havana non-stop on July 21, 1931, and he surpassed Frank Hawks' flying speed record.
* Havana to New York non-stop record.
* New York - Chicago - New York, record 8 hours. Broke Hawks' record.
* Vancouver, B.C. to Aqua Caliente, Mexico, non-stop record, breaking Col. Roscoe Turner's, and many other records of shorter distances.
* Bendix Trophy Race, 1931 - Los Angeles, California to Cleveland, Ohio.
Prior to 1932, Hall had flown all types of single and multi-motored commercial and military equipment built prior to 1932. He owned several seaplanes and fast land planes.

Equestrianism

Hall served as the first treasurer of the American Quarter Horse Association. In this capacity, he lobbied the National Stallion Board to recognize the Quarter Horse as a separate racing breed between 1941 and 1942. He also produced early films about Quarter Horses in the Southwest.

While Hall and Burnett made great strides to build the Quarter Horse as a racing breed, Hall's commitment to the military took center stage again in 1941 as evidenced in a letter to AQHA stating he'd been in Central and South America on military business. He then in 1942 had to resign from attending a show at Eagle Pass due to military commitments in Washington, D.C. The war was calling and Hall was ready to answer.

Personal life

Hall first married Ida Belle Thomas (1892-1974) in 1921 in San Diego, California. They had a son Howard Earle Coffin Hall (1923-2012). The couple divorced in 1927.

Hall married a second time to Anne Valliant Burnett Tandy, the heiress of the 6666 Ranch

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