Eric G. Hall

Eric Gordon Hall (12 October 1922 — 17 June 1998) best known as E.G. Hall, Eric G. Hall, or The Heavy Hitter for his role in the Indo-Pakistani War of 1965, was a former two-star rank officer of the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) and fighter-bomber pilot hailing from the Christian minority in Pakistan. Hall played a pivotal role in the Indo-Pakistani War of 1965 and Indo-Pakistani War of 1971. He retired as the Commandant of PAF Staff College on 30 June 1975. Following retirement, Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto appointed him as the Director General Civil Aviation Authority of Pakistan, a role he held until 6 March 1978. Afterwards, he ventured into import-export businesses in Karachi for a year and relocated to the United States where he opened Hall Enterprises in August 1982, with his wife, Marjorie. The business imported and exported Pakistani furniture, giftware, and military spare parts. He was seen as a prominent figure on the scene which traded heavily on his name and contacts.
Notably, during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1965, Hall pioneered the innovative concept of converting C-130 Hercules transport aircraft into heavy bombers, enhancing their capacity to carry 13,000 kg (28,000 lb) of explosives with specific modifications. C-in-C of the PAF Nur Khan liked the idea and flew one of the C-130 Hercules during the war. On 11 September, Hall volunteered to lead the initial bombing mission over a strategically vital bridge in Kathua which was used to deliver supplies to the Indian Army. Despite the transport-turned-bomber being unarmoured and vulnerable to Indian anti-aircraft guns, the mission succeeded. This success resulted in the Pakistani military leadership to authorize 13 additional strategic bombing runs using the converted C-130s, including precision strikes on Indian weaponry at Attari along the BRB Canal. The effectiveness of these missions solidified Hall's innovative concept, earning him the Sitara-e-Jurat in 1965.
Throughout his career, he served in several high ranking positions of the PAF, including as Commandant PAF Staff College, Air attaché to Washington, Chief of Staff of the PAF, Assistant Chief of Air Staff (Administration), Commander PAF Station Masroor, Assistant Chief of Air Staff (Training), Commander PAF Station Chaklala, Commander PAF Station Drigh Road, and Commander No. 6 Squadron PAF.
Eric Gordon Hall was born on 12 October 1922 into a Christian Anglo-Burmese family in Rangoon during the British rule in Burma. Eric matriculated from the Diocesan Boys High School in Rangoon. His father, Captain E. E. Hall was a combat engineer in the British Army and went missing in action during the Japanese invasion of Burma in 1941, shortly after which he was declared dead. Due to the outbreak of the war, the women of his family, namely his mother, sister and aunt were airlifted to British India, while the men fled on foot.
Exhausted and ill with blistered bug bitten feet, he wore out his shoes after traveling through the jungle on foot for weeks from Myitkyina, North Burma to Dibrugarh, northeast India, where he then remained hospitalized for a short time.
He was married to Marjorie May Hall and they had two children: a daughter Gillian Hall born on 1 December 1949 and son Clive Hall born on 5 May 1953. His wife Marjorie, was the Chairwoman of the Chaklala division of PAF's Women's Association in 1966.
After being released from the hospital for his injuries caused by the weeks long trek through the jungle, he enlisted in the Royal Indian Air Force as part of the 20 Pilot course of the Initial Training Wing and was commissioned on 20 December 1943. Subsequently, he was deployed to Burma during World War II in a fighter-reconnaissance squadron, where he flew sorties against Japanese forces as a Hawker Hurricane fighter pilot.
On 12 April 1947, Flying Officer Eric Gordon Hall and Cadet Harrison took off in a Tiger Moth II and crash landed 6 miles South East from Jodhpur after an engine failure.
After the Partition of British India in August 1947, he opted for Pakistan, moved his family to Lahore, and transferred his service to the Royal Pakistan Air Force.
Hall was the second to take flight, following Khyber Khan, in Pakistan's first air display on Pakistan Day 1948, which was witnessed by 150,000 people. He captivated the crowd in a Tiger Moth, performing a stunning display of stunt flying and aerobatics at 3,000 feet.
From April 1950 to November 1952, Hall was employed on staff duties at the AHQ (PAF). He was promoted to Wing Commander in November 1952 and commanded No. 6 Squadron PAF for 3 ½ years.
Hall was selected to attend the RAF Staff College, Andover in May 1956. On his return to Pakistan, he commanded the Officers' Advanced Administration School. In October 1958, he was posted to the PAF Staff College as an instructor on the directing staff.
Wing Commander Hall was promoted to Group Captain on 8 March 1960 and appointed as Assistant Commandant of PAF Staff College serving until December 1961.
Leading up to the outbreak of war in August 1965, Group Captain Hall was in command of PAF Station Chaklala. Knowing that war was imminent after the failure of the Pakistan Army's Operation Gibraltar in Jammu and Kashmir (state), he was aware of the Pakistan Air Forces lack of specialist aircraft. Hall brought up the idea of converting C-130 Hercules transports into heavy bombers. With some modifications, the transport aircraft were now able to carry up to 13,000 kg (28,000 lb) of explosive ordinance.
After testing the bombers' efficiency, Hall volunteered to lead the first bombing mission over a strategically vital bridge in Kathua, Jammu and Kashmir on 11 September 1965. The mission was fraught with danger as the unarmoured transport-turned-bomber was highly vulnerable to Indian anti-aircraft guns. However, the mission's ultimately successful outcome prompted the Pakistani high command to authorize 13 more strategic bombing runs with converted C-130s, including the precision striking of Indian heavy guns at Attari, on the banks of the BRB Canal. Hall was awarded the Sitara-e-Jurat by the Government of Pakistan in 1965 for his innovative idea.
The Sitara-e-Jurat citation reads:
After the war, Hall was appointed as Assistant Chief of Air Staff (Training) at the AHQ (PAF) in Peshawar for two years. He became Commander PAF Station Masroor in October 1968 and was appointed as Assistant Chief of Air Staff (Administration) in November 1969.
Hall was appointed as Chief of Staff of the Pakistan Air Force on 1 April 1970 until 3 June 1972. During the 1971 war, he played a key role in making sure the war plans were executed effectively.
Hall served as Air attaché to Washington from June 1972 to October 1974. He was a distinguished guest and assisted in the graduation ceremony of the 21st Advanced Class Graduation at The Judge Advocate General's Legal Center and School on 1 June 1973.
In October 1974, Hall succeeded Air Commodore Shamshul Huda Shah as Commandant of the PAF Staff College. Hall served until 30 June 1975, when he retired from the air force and was succeeded by Air Commodore Ayaz Ahmed Khan.
After retiring, Hall was appointed as Director General of the Civil Aviation Authority of Pakistan by Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto as a re-employed BPS-21 grade grade officer of the Government of Pakistan.
On 11 May 1976, Hall met with Dr. Emil Hinek in Karachi, who was from the aviation department of the Hungarian Ministry of Transport and Postal Affairs, they signed an agreement to start regular flights between Budapest and Karachi. He relinquished charge on the afternoon of 6 March 1978.
Afterwards, Hall ran an export-import company in Karachi for a year. He moved to the United States with his family in 1980 and settled in the Washington, D.C. area later becoming a resident of Gaithersburg, Maryland. From August 1982 to 1995, he was the President of Hall Enterprises, a business he started with his wife, which imported-exported Pakistani furniture, giftware, and military spare parts. In addition to that, he had a shop which specialized in ceramics, jewelry and gifts in Ellicott City, Maryland.
Hall was hospitalized after a stroke and died on 17 June 1998 at Adventist HealthCare Shady Grove Medical Center. He was buried at the Gate of Heaven Cemetery (Silver Spring, Maryland).