Earle APD-107

Earle B. Hall

Earle Boitnott Hall, born 25 December 1919 in Dawson Springs, KY., enlisted in the Navy in 1938. Aviation Machinist's Mate Hall was posthumously awarded an Air Medal for meritorious achievement in a patrol mission against Japanese forces on the wild Sulu island of Jolo, Philippines, 27 December 1941. He was killed in this action.

(APD-107: dp. 1,390; 1. 306'; b. 37'; dr. 12'7"; B. 24 k.;
cpl. 204; a. 1 5"; cl. Crosley)

Earle B. Hall (DE-597) was launched 1 March 1944 by Bethlehem-Hingham Shipyard, Inc., Hingham, Mass. sponsored by Mrs. William Thomas Hall, mother of Aviation Machinist's Mate Hall; reclassified APD-107, 17 July 1944, and commissioned 15 May 1945, Lieutenant Commander E. J. Haddon, USNR., in command.

Earle B. Hall reached San Diego from Norfolk 17 August. She embarked 90 men for passage to Pearl Harbor, 12 September. She arrived at Okinawa the 28th. While her boats were being converted for shallow water minesweeping, she carried passengers and minesweeping gear from Buckner Bay to Sasebo and through the Bungo Suido. In December her boats were returned, and with them she sailed to Wakanoura Bay, below Osaka, arriving 14 December. There she provided logistics support for her boats, sweeping magnetic mines in the shallow waters of the Inland Sea, particularly the major port of Kobe.

Earle B. Hall put to sea, 25 February 1946, and called at Eniwetok, Pearl Harbor and San Francisco on her way to Boston, where she arrived 9 April. She was placed out of commission in reserve at Mayport, Florida, 27 September 1946.

Recommissioned 7 December 1950, Earle B. Hall sailed from Jacksonville, 19 December, for her home port, Norfolk. After refresher training, she departed 29 May 1951, for a 3-month northern cruise, supplying such outposts as Grondal, Greenland. Returning to Norfolk, she trained Marines in amphibious warfare off Onslow Beach, N.C., and in the Caribbean.

Earle B. Hall sailed from Norfolk 22 April 1953 for a Mediterranean tour with the 6th Fleet, returning home 26 October. Local operations off the Virginia Capes alternated with two cruises to Key West and Havana and Marine amphibious exercises in the Caribbean until 17 June 1955, when she sailed to the Azores, Lisbon, and Cadiz on a midshipman cruise, returning to Norfolk 15 July. The remainder of her service was spent on the east coast and training in the Caribbean. She was placed out of commission in reserve again, 13 September 1957.