Inaugural race dedicated to fallen soldier

Date published: 5/12/2008

The inaugural Marine Corps Historic Half Marathon is dedicated to Army 1st Lt. Benjamin Hall, who was killed on July 31, 2007, while leading his infantry platoon in defense of a Forward Operating Base in Northeastern Afghanistan.

Hall, who was 24, is remembered by his parents, John and Sarah Hall of Fredericksburg, and friends as an “instantly likeable” young man who managed to achieve a lot in his military career while keeping family and friends a high priority.

Hall was a 2001 graduate of C.D. Hylton High School in Woodbridge and a 2005 graduate of Michigan Technological University in Houghton, Mich.

He became an Army Ranger, a goal he had held since he was 10 years old, at age 23.

Hall was the platoon leader of Delta Company, 2nd Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team, based in Vicenza, Italy.

The race dedication will be announced by Fredericksburg Mayor Tom Tomzak at a news conference Saturday at noon at the Fredericksburg Expo and Conference Center.

Hall’s parents say this remembrance is a chance to celebrate the active spirit with which their son approached life.

“This really celebrates our Ben,” Sarah Hall said.

Ben Hall ran cross-country and played soccer in high school, and often took on challenging endurance events.

On Sunday, John Hall and about a dozen other people who knew or knew of Ben will run the half marathon. They’ll be wearing T-shirts bearing Ben’s picture and the phrase, “Be like Ben.”

—Emily Battle

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Date published: 5/12/2008