Background
Hall was born in Forest Hills, Queens, New York City. The son of a furrier, he attended Townsend Harris High School.
Hall was born in Forest Hills, Queens, New York City. The son of a furrier, he attended Townsend Harris High School.
In 1948, he earned a Master of Science in aeronautical engineering from the California Institute of Technology.
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. Hall entered the Air Corps 1939. During he served in England in engineering assignments associated with aircraft repair.
His introduction to missiles came near war’s end when he was assigned to acquire intelligence on Germany’s wartime propulsion work.
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
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.
Edward Hall was selected to take the lead in designing, developing, producing, and deploying a nuclear-tipped intercontinental ballistic missile for North Atlantic Treaty Organization. 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. Hall was married to Edith Shawcross.
Hall"s brother, Theodore Hall, worked for the Manhattan Project and passed nuclear secrets to the Soviets.
Edward North Hall died on January 15, 2006.