Retired Commander Ray E. Hall passed away on 14 February 2012. Ray Hall was the son of Riley and Helen (Schmiedeskamp) Hall. He was born on February 21, 1923 on Happy Street in Freelandville. A brother, Burton; a sister, Mary Millicent; and his parents preceded him in death.

He graduated from Edwardsport High School in 1941 and he attended Purdue University prior to his enlistment as a naval aviator cadet in December 1942. He received his pilot's "Wings of Gold" on 15 August 1945, the day following Japan's capitulation ending World War II.

Ray remained in the Navy and flew from aircraft carriers the first 10 years of his career. During the Korean War, he flew more than 130 combat missions from the carriers USS Boxer and USS Kearsarge. He received his first air medal from Admiral "Jocko" Clark who had pinned his wings on him in 1945. Clark was the commander of the carrier task force during the Korean War. He has logged more than 7,000 hours of air time.

In 1956, Ray volunteered for the Navy's Deep Freeze squadron based in the Antarctic. He served for two years flying supply and reconnaissance missions. His aircraft made the third landing at the South Pole in November 1956. He also flew two rescue missions while in the Antarctic. He was awarded the Navy Commendation Medal and an Antarctic mountain was named in honor of his service with the Deep Freeze squadron (Mount Hall).

He served on the anti-submarine aircraft carrier USS Wasp from 1958-60. During his service on board the Wasp, a fire broke out while the ship was at sea killing 2 men and destroying 5 helicopters. Hall was the first officer on the scene and directed fire fighting parties during the five hour ordeal. He was the recipient of a citation from the ship's captain for his service.

In 1963, he attended the Armed Forces Staff College in Norfolk, VA. He then served in Naples and Rome, Italy as the US representative on an Italian NATO naval staff. Between 1965-68, he was assigned to the Pentagon in the Office of Naval Intelligence, then back to NATO in Italy until his retirement in 1972.

In 1976, he moved to Pine Bluffs where he has since remained. He is known as a local historian. As a member of the Bethel Church Historical Committee, he initiated publication of the annual church historical calendars in 1992. He has worked as a volunteer in the historical section of the Knox Co. Public Library and Grouseland.

Ray served on the Indiana German Heritage Society Board of Governors for many years and was also a long time board member and past president of the Vincennes Historical and Antiquarian Society. He was also a member of the Gideons. He was an active glider pilot with the Wabash Valley Soaring Association for more than 35 years and he served on the board of directors and was a past president of that organization. He received the Distinguished Alumni Award from the Edwardsport High School Alumni Association in 1987.