October 6, 2022: Dominic J. Hall
Dominic J. Hall was born in August 1989 in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin. His military service interest began at Xavier High School in Appleton, Wisconsin, where he graduated in 2008 and joined the U.S. Marine Corps soon after.
Hall’s first assignment was with the 3rd Reconnaissance Battalion in Okinawa, Japan, in April 2009. After spending a year at Camp Schwab, he was stationed on USS Essex, USS Harpers Ferry and USS Germantown until 2011. While he was aboard the USS Ronald Reagan in March 2011, Japan was hit with a magnitude 9.1 earthquake, and he assisted with the recovery after the Fukushima Nuclear Reactor meltdown.
In May 2011, Hall deployed to Afghanistan as a member of Operation Enduring Freedom. After a few short days of being stationed at Patrol Base Alcatraz, his platoon was struck with Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM) bombs. Minutes later, they were surrounded by gunfire from 20-30 enemy attackers. Despite internal protest, the commander dropped a lethal GBU-54 laser-guided bomb 36 meters away from the Marines. The Marines believed they only survived because they jumped into a canal inlet, which provided cover.
During his time in Afghanistan, Hall risked his own safety to protect his fellow Marines on multiple occasions. He once provided life-saving medical treatment to two Afghan National Army soldiers after a grenade explosion, and he was awarded the Combat Action Ribbon on June 6, 2011.
Following Afghanistan, Hall returned to Okinawa, Japan, in December 2011, before coming back to the U.S., where he joined the Marine Corps Reserve. He was awarded the Marine Corps Achievement Medal with Valor during this time.
Hall’s passion to serve his country never ceased. After spending less than a year in the Reserve, he re-enlisted into the Ohio Army National Guard as a Special Forces candidate. He completed the Special Warfare Qualification Course with honors and was adorned with a green beret by August 2015.
Hall was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 19th Special Forces Group in Ohio, but was soon promoted to staff sergeant. He began his second deployment in Afghanistan, this time with the 19th and 7th Special Forces Group. For his time in the Army, Hall would go on to earn the Combat Infantryman Badge, Bronze Star, Army Commendation and Achievement Medals and Valorous Unit Award.
After his service, in 2017, Hall became a member of Appleton Police Department’s SWAT, Sniper and Metropolitan Enforcement Group units. He was awarded the department’s Life Saving Award for providing medical aid that saved a man’s life in 2019.
Hall was admitted into the emergency room in May 2021 for severe abdominal pain and an upset stomach. He was diagnosed with stage 1B pancreatic cancer and began a clinical trial with neoadjuvant therapy a month later. Doctors attributed his cancer to chemical exposure from nuclear reactors and burn pits during his service. His cancer quickly developed to stage IV by January 2022 with liver involvement. Hall died on Sept. 4, 2022, about two weeks after his 33rd birthday.
We honor his service.
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We honor the service of Dominic J. Hall.
Sad that he lived through so much to be taken by cancer. Hopefully someday science will bring about an end to this terrible disease and many others. If only science could bring about an end to war.