CAPT Harley H. Hall: Tribute to a Blue Angels Flight Leader, Navy Pilot & American Hero

A Tribute to Harley H. Hall | Produced by Ryan Nothhaft
Captain Harley H. Hall served as Officer-in-Charge and Flight Leader of the Blue Angels from 1970 through the 1971 airshow season. Boss Hall’s enduring legacy is one of patriotism, leadership, and a dedication to excellence with his impact felt by all who served alongside him and those who were inspired by his charismatic presence in the movie “Threshold: The Blue Angels Experience ''. Boss Hall’s love for country, steadfast demeanor and sacrifice shall never be forgotten.
Paying tribute in this video to Boss Hall:
Kevin O’Mara | Blue Angels Pilot, 1970-1971
J.D. Davis | Blue Angels Narrator, 1970-1971
Ernie Christensen | Blue Angels Pilot, 1969-1971
Richard Keane | Blue Angels Crew Chief, 1969-1971
Harry Chesnut | Blue Angels Crew Chief, 1969-1971
Bill Switzer | Blue Angels Pilot, 1971-1972
Credit:
Air Show Video Footage: Threshold: The Blue Angels Experience
Thumbnail Images: Harry Gann (Delta photo) | Manuel & Nancy Moreyra ( Harley Hall photo)
Boss Harley H. Hall’s bio as printed in the 1971 Blue Angels yearbook:
CDR HARLEY H. HALL, USN
OFFICER-IN-CHARGE/FLIGHT LEADER, PLANE NO. 1
COMMANDER HARLEY H. HALL, USN, 33 of Vancouver, Washington, entered the Navy as a Naval Aviation Cadet in 1957. He was commissioned an Ensign and received his wings in April 1959. Following a two year tour of duty with Attack Squadron 192, where he flew the A-4 Skyhawk, he was assigned to the U.S. Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey, California, where he received a Bachelor of Art Degree in International Relations. Commander Hall was then ordered to the 4526th DCombat Crew Training Squadron, Nellis AFB, Nevada, where he flew as part of the pilot exchange program with the U.S. Air Force. Whil at Nellis AFB, he accumulated 1,000 flight hours in the F-105 Thunderchief fighter-bomber over an 18 month period. In July 1966, Commander Hall received orders to Fighter Squadron 154 where he made two combat tours to Vietnam and flew over 150 combat missions in the F-4 Phantom. He received orders to report as Officer-in-Charge of the Blue Angels in November 1969. Commander Hall has more than 4000 flight hours, nearly all of which are in jet fighter and attack aircraft. He has 563 carrier landings, with 169 night carrier landings. He holds 11 Air Medals, two Navy Commendation Medals with Combat V, Navy Achievement Medal with Combat V, the Meritorious Unit Commendation, the Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry, the National Defense Medal, and the Vietnamese Service and Campaign Medals. In 1970, Commander Hall was selected as one of the few “Outstanding Young Men of the Year” in America. He and his wife, the former Mary Lou Marino of Santa Barbara, California, and their daughter Heather, live in Pensacola Florida.

[@MoodyBlue42..]

That's a legacy we should all strive for!! Being the best that you can possibly be and have people speak highly of you after you're gone. Damn fine tribute, Ryan😁👍

[@SWog617]

CDR Hall was shot down 50 years ago today, on the last day of official American hostilities in Vietnam. He sounded like a great leader... may he rest in peace.

[@jeffumstead1459]

I met Captain Hall while my brother, Skip, was with Blues. He truly is an American hero! Well done tribute to a great man.

[@harleyhall4485]

My dad spoke so highly of your brother. My mom still talks about Skip

[@raisingcaine5480]

@@harleyhall4485 Skip Umstead?

[@deans178]

I paid my respects at your brother's grave this past winter. I watched him at Detroit Willow Run in 1972. I live just 10 minutes from St Charles Michigan.

[@jeffumstead1459]

@@deans178 Thank you for that. I live just outside of Chesaning if you would ever want to meet. I have some memorabilia, mostly official portrait photos and maybe a few brochures, that I would be willing to share.

[@heeder777]

He was the Leader when I first saw the blues when I was 12 years old. It was one of the moments in my life that influenced me and led to a career in the USAF. The F-4 show I think was the most impressive of all I have seen. Especially after wrenching on them for 5 years and knowing what it takes to keep that airframe flying.

[@sjwilloughby-greene8214]

Maybe this is a great example of why these men are called angels. Blue Angels are leaders on earth that represent something that far exceeds the clouds they fly. Thank you all.💙💛💙

[@deans178]

I saw the Blue's at Willow Run Airport in Ypsilanti Michigan in 1972 in the F-4 when I was 17. Harley had returned to Vietnam, but there was a local pilot on the Blue's by the name of Skip Umstead, St. Charles Mi. I was so inspired I decided to make my career in aviation. I tried to enlist as a Marine to fly F'4's but wasn't eligible due to uncorrected eyesight. 43 years later I retired from Willow Run as the Air Traffic Manager at the tower. We hosted the Blue's at Willow Run in the F-18's a month before I retired.

[@hhout9242]

Flew for USAJet out of there for a few years, I'm sure we have spoken.

[@thomaslore730]

Sounds like he took care of HIS people and they took care of HIM, just like Robin Olds did for his people on the Air Force side of the house.

[@rickberry4995]

My CO I launched him on his last flight... God bless him

[@hadleyrillewatches]

Great American, aviator, and leader. Thank you for sharing @Blue Angel Phantoms

[@daveheath3728]

Harley Hall is one of my heroes . I have been privledged to meet and get to know his family and many of the members of the Blue Angel teams that he commanded and people he went to school with and they all , without exception testified to the excellence of this man . Who he was , what he stood for , and how he walked through life is a continuing inspiration to me . Thanks for another great video Ryan . 👍🏻

[@gwendavis4755]

❤

[@B1900pilot]

I’ve been wearing Captain Hall’s POW bracelet for almost 20-years...A great loss to our Navy and our country. He still inspires people to this very day.

[@chrismeyer2810]

What an amazing peice of video. I always enjoy watching videos of my great uncle.

[@BeTheChange.777]

What a beautiful tribute!

[@groth3395]

According to another source (on here) the OV-10 FAC was shot down while circling to the downed pilots and that aircraft was shot down too and both pilots were executed and nailed to a tree. Kintzler was damn lucky to get out alive as some evidence points to the possibility Hall was executed as well. A hellova thing for both crews and families. Capt. Hall's wife still held out hope against hope in 1993 that he was still alive.

[@harleyhall660]

Thank you Ryan! Very special...

[@Florhampark12]

Well done Ryan…as always! Thank you!

[@brianochsner3632]

He is my second cousin. Never met him, but I love, and miss him

[@damienmilk3025]

Living in Australia, I have never had the privilege to see the Blue Angles at a live event. Without a doubt, they are the finest pilots.

[@artvandelay0073]

Living in the US, I've had the good fortune to attend quite a few shows throughout the years of both the USN Blue Angels and USAF Thunderbirds. Precision.flyinh at its finest. I saw Cdr. Hall lead the Blues wearing their rare yellow slight suits w/blue trim back when they flew at my local airshow in the early 1970s, just prior to Hall returning to the fleet after his tour w/the Blues was over. I even got him to autograph my program along the crowd flight line after the show. I remember being shocked upon first hearing the news of his untimely death and took it pretty hard. I may have been 8-10-yesrs old at that time. RIP Cdr. Hall. 🇺🇸🙏❤️

[@damienmilk3025]

@@artvandelay0073 WOW, what a great memory. The video has prompted me to do a lot more research on the Blue Angles. RIP Cdr Hall. My most vivid memory from an airshow in Australia was in the mid to late 60s. An RAF Vulcan was present at an airshow at Laverton Air Force base (now a housing estate) I still to this day remember the "Vulcan howl"

[@RickyJr46]

It is outrageous and disgraceful that this man was never brought home.

[@duanekalember297]

Harley and I went through NAVCADs together, and we both were aboard the CVA for first tour. He was flying A4’s and I was flying A1’s. We had many fun dogfights together

[@ronnierodger2229]

My father P. J. Rodger was Harley's roommate in Navy Flight training. I remember as a 10 year old getting to have lunch with Harley Hall and my family just before the Blue Angels performed at the Greater SW Airport in the Dallas/ Fort Worth area in the early 70's........

[@pigybak]

🫡

[@rElliot09]

He looks like a leader, like a Naval Aviator.

[@1minutecomicswalahollywood648]

Hello, I am a new subscriber.

[@JoeRTavarez]

Good Channel

[@Quentin5277]

He’s my uncle

[@walterbing2536]

Usn

[@toddw6716]

Thanks

[@JSFGuy]

Oh...