Heartwarming story of the day

Joseph Hall being fitted for his final uniform

Joseph Hall is a 96 year old veteran of World War II, where he served in the Navy. According to the article, he enlisted in 1941 (age ~17) and spent three years overseas. Looks as though he rose to petty officer first class and was a gun captain (the man in charge of one of the ship’s guns and gun crew) and served in the Pacific Theater. We’ll forgive his ribbons being slightly out of order, though he did get his Philippine Liberation Medal right side up.

The reason he’s being fitted for his crackerjacks is that he wished to be buried in his uniform upon his passing. The only problem, which far too many of us can sympathize, is that in the decades since his service the darn thing seemed to have shrunk! He contacted a local seamstress who took up the cause, her father having been a Navy vet of the Korean War.

Joseph Hall walked into Causeway Alterations at the beginning of January with a strange request.

The 96-year-old veteran still had his original U.S. Navy uniform that he wore when he enlisted in 1941. He wanted to be buried in it, but it no longer fit.

Could someone there make a new one?

Seamstress Susan Williams heard him while working in the back of the shop. Her father had been in the Navy in Korea, and she remembered what his uniform looked like.

She poked her head out and asked, “Dress blue or white?”

Thus began a monthlong project to fulfill Hall’s dream, a tribute to the men he once served with and still missed.

“We were overseas together over three years before we got back home,” he said. “I feel this makes me more like I’m with them when I pass away. I want to join them again.”

The hardest part was finding the right materials.

Finding the right materials was difficult — the coronavirus pandemic has caused a fabric shortage. So, the Tarpon Springs resident drove to Sarasota twice in her quest for the exact shade of navy, spending about eight hours in the car. While she couldn’t find the original wool and silk, she purchased a near-identical polyester and poly satin.

“I had a heck of a time finding navy blue, the correct U.S. navy blue,” she said. “It’s not an easy navy blue to find.”

She did graciously sew a zipper into the pants to replace the 13 buttons (to represent the original colonies…Tradition!), which as I understand it is one of the least liked parts of that uniform.

Hall lives alone at Mediterranean Manors. His wife of 67 years passed away three years ago, and all of his former crew mates are gone. He turns 97 in March.

“I have nobody to celebrate with. I’m the last,” he said.

But putting on the uniform put a smile on his face.

“It’s making my heart beat,” he said. “It brings back memories of my crew.”

The smile lasted long after he had changed back into blue jeans and a purple plaid button up. It stayed on as Williams walked him to his car and helped him hang his uniform over the backseat. It lasted as she hugged him in the parking lot.

“Don’t be in a hurry to use that,” she told him.

Got dusty in here all of a sudden.

Source; Air Force Times

Category: Bravo Zulu, Navy