A fine young man, a damned fine Marine
While reading through some of my friends facebook pages I noticed that on one of them it said RIP Sgt Pascal Hall. I googled his name and sure enough, a friend, a Marine whom I had the pleasure of serving with in Iraq had been killed in an auto accident. I feel compelled to tell you about him.
Pascal and I were both part of 1st Battalion, 24th Marines. He was a Scout/sniper and I was an Armorer.
Being allowed back into the Marine Corps at 50 for the sole purpose of deploying to Iraq was an honor, but getting to know, work with and in some cases mentor these young Marines was by far a great and humbling honor.
I used to make a point to go and shoot the bull with the snipers, as good shooters tend to stick together and that was how I met this young man.
We used to talk about ballistics, rifles, distance shooting and when M-14's were re-issued to the snipers, Pascal got one and I generated drop and wind drift tables for both him and the others using them. (The Marine Corps gave them no training on the rifle so I helped out as I had shot one on the third MAW rifle team.) I can't begin to express how much I enjoyed "talking guns" and sharing with those young men.
Pascal went places in Fallujah, with one or two other Snipers, that entire line Companies didn't go. He "snooped and pooped" on the enemy and one night told me how instead of finding a ride back to the FOB, he and another Marine "ran" seven miles with full gear so they could be back sooner to relay their info.
Pascal left the Marine Corps in 2008 to take a position with the Secret Service. He was a Sgt by then and true to his colors he had nothing but nice things to say about the Corps and encouraged all Marines to always give their all.
He completed the academy for the Secret Service and was assigned to the uniformed division. He was killed 26 Aug 2009. As per his wishes, his organs were given to five other people that they might live. That's the giving type of man Pascal was.
I was lucky enough to be allowed to be deployed and being the oldest member of 1/24 I treated each and everyone of my Marines like they were my own. Pascal, you now get to shoot on ranges were the wind is always calm, the sun is warm on your face and God blesses you personally each and every day. R.I.P.
Semper Fi
