Jack Stephens Hall was a 23-year Navy pilot, flight instructor and first announcer for the 1946 Blue Angel air shows. He also announced Blue Angel air shows in the 1950's and in 1968 at Corry Field. Hall was a fighter and bomber pilot who served in both WW2 and Korea, instructor to several Blue Angel pilots, and in nighttime maneuvers to England's Royal Air Force in the 1950's. His last military assignment was as Administrative Officer at Saufley Field from 1962-64, just prior to his retirement at the rank of Commander.
Hall was born on June 13, 1919 in Macon, Georgia. He graduated from high school at age 16, attended Middle Georgia College on a baseball scholarship, and served as sports editor of the college newspaper. Upon graduating, he took a job surveying. His plans to pursue a medical degree were changed when he was both offered a chance to try out for the pitcher's position with the Atlanta Crackers - later known as the Atlanta Braves baseball team, and he received a draft notice and was required to register with the US Army. Since he already had earned a civilian pilot's license and possessed a college degree, he opted to join the Navy as an officer.
He married Mary Frances Coady, a career RN from Fernandina Beach, and they had six children. In his civilian years, Hall was a 1968 graduate of the University of West Florida and a 1970 graduate of Louisiana State University, also professor of business at both Southern Illinois University and Pensacola Junior College, treasurer for the Fireman's Fund, 4th-degree member of the Knights of Columbus, member of the Pensacola-Escambia Human Relations Commission, Action '76, and Kiwanis Club. He died of cancer at age sixty-four on January 3, 1984.
For more information about Cdr Hall, please follow the link to the NAMF National Flight Log Database:
