By Matt Robinson
Contributing Writer
WALTHAM – Despite what you may think of how they got there, each piece in a museum comes with its own story that is offered for each patron to ponder and learn from.
Waltham historian Doug Hall has written a book about the extraordinary life of his grandfather, military pilot James G. Hall.
How much more intriguing, then, when the exhibition is of one’s own family?
In his new book, “Legacy of the Skies,” Waltham’s Doug Hall puts his practiced museum studies skills to work in discovering and sharing the amazing story of his grandfather, Col. James Goodwin Hall. In the process, he reveals the story of the man who helped create aerial reconnaissance (shooting the images of Omaha Beach that allowed the Allies to prepare for D-Day) and the Air Mail system, but also participated in the pre-Depression stock market and helped shape modern horse racing.
After requesting and receiving his grandfather’s full military record in 2018, Doug Hall said knew he had a story to tell.
Researching the story
While the story seems almost too astounding to be real, Hall’s practiced investigative work reveals a man whose story needs to be told and, thanks to this book, is told very well indeed.
Doug Hall’s grandfather James G. Hall, front row center, became a pilot during World War I.
As the younger Hall was born after his grandfather’s passing, Doug had little to go on other than snippets of stories from members of the interim generation.
“In many ways,” Hall explained, “this piqued my interest in finding a trail.” After requesting and receiving his grandfather’s full military record (which Hall describes as being “as thick as a Webster’s dictionary”) in 2018, Hall knew he had a story to tell.
“I wanted an opportunity to fully explore my grandfather’s incredibly eventful life story,” Hall reasoned. “I wanted to give him his due recognition in one fully researched, verifiable, and also readable account, so it wasn’t just facts and figures. I also wanted to share with my family the account of his remarkable and accomplished life.”
Col. James G. Hall took aerial reconnaissance photos of Omaha Beach that allowed the Allies to prepare for D-Day during World War II.
Starting with genealogical research and leaning on the support of military librarians and other colleagues and friends, Hall quickly became engrossed in his familial history.
“To my enormous surprise and personal satisfaction,” Hall said, “I uncovered a remarkable paper trail of James Goodwin Hall, including adventures and accomplishments that spanned his military, civilian, and business life.”
In “Legacy,” Hall speaks to and about his grandfather through stories and images culled from personal and military records, depicting a man of great drive and passion who reached the top of multiple fields and yet is little known today.
A short but accomplished life
“I was fascinated and amazed by the varied achievements and adventurous lifestyle he had led in 55 short years,” he says, recalling the “gold mine” of archived articles, book references, photographs, and even professional correspondence. “What I learned ultimately that it was his character and personality traits that led him to all these adventures. His military achievements and contributions speak to his personal character, communications skills, and integrity.”
In addition to flying in both World War I and World War II and helping launch both the U.S. Air Mail system and the Jet Age, the decorated Col. Hall was an early member of the New Yori Stock Exchange and helped establish the American Quarter Horse as an official racing breed.
“In a word,” Hall said, “he lived a life in full!”
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