Edward N. Hall

Hall was born in Forest Hills, Queens, New York City, the son of Rose Moskowitz and Barnett Holtzberg, a furrier. His family was Jewish. He attended Townsend Harris High School. He received a Bachelor in engineering from College of the City of New York in 1935 and a professional degree in chemical engineering in 1936. In 1948, he earned a Master of Science in aeronautical engineering from the California Institute of Technology.[1] He was the brother Theodore Hall, an accomplished physicist who became an atomic spy.[2]

Hall entered the Air Corps 1939. During World War II he served in England in engineering assignments associated with aircraft repair. His introduction to missiles came near the war's end when he was assigned to acquire intelligence on Germany's wartime propulsion work. In 1943, he received the Legion of Merit.

Hall became Assistant Chief, Non-Rotating Engine Branch, Power Plant Laboratory, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, where he participated in the development of solid and liquid rocket power plants. In 1951, he was one of four people at Wright Air Development Center (WADC) who were instrumental in the initiation of Project MX-1593, the Atlas program.[3]

In 1954, Hall joined Western Development Division as Chief, Propulsion Development, where he was responsible for the programs leading to development of engines for the Atlas, Titan, and Thor missiles. In 1957, he became director of the Weapon System 315A (Thor) development program and, subsequently, oversaw installation of Thor missiles in England. Hall directed the Weapon System 133A (Minuteman) program until the eve of the missile’s first complete flight test.[4]

Edward Hall was selected to take the lead in designing, developing, producing, and deploying a nuclear-tipped intercontinental ballistic missile for NATO. Retiring from the Air Force in 1959, Hall joined United Aircraft Corporation.

In 1999, he was elected to the Air Force Space and Missile Hall of Fame.[5]

Hall was married to Edith Shawcross. They had three children — a daughter, Sheila, and two sons, David and Jonathan.

Hall's brother, Theodore Hall, worked for the Manhattan Project and passed nuclear secrets to the Soviets.

Edward N. Hall died on January 15, 2006.

• Obituary in The New York Times.