Roderick Stephen Goodspeed Hall
Captain, U.S. Army

From 2 August 1944 to 27 January 1945, Captain Roderick Stephen Goodspeed Hall was serving with Company D, 2677th Regiment, Office of Strategic Services.

During that time, CPT Hall was in action against German forces in Italy. After volunteering for a special mission into German-occupied territory, CPT Hall parachuted into the region southeast of the Brenner Pass on 2 August 1944 to disrupt enemy communication routes. Working alone in the mountainous area, he repeatedly exposed himself to capture by an enemy constantly searching him. CPT Hall interrupted communications, collected and relayed intelligence information, destroyed enemy installations and facilities and organized and operated with partisan's seeking to inflict maximum damage to the German forces. Exposed to the severe winter weather as he eluded capture, CPT Hall was reported to have been wounded twice and his feet frozen. On 27 January 1945, CPT Hall was attempting to blow up the electric transformer station at Cortina d'Ampezzo and damage the railway system there, when he was captured by the Germans. CPT Hall died in a German POW camp at Bolzano, Italy, on 20 February 1945. CPT Hall’s courageous actions and extraordinary heroism during the period of his mission, at the cost of his life, earned him the U.S. Army's second highest award for valor, the Distinguished Service Cross.

In January 1946, an American Military Commission in Naples, Italy, sentenced 3 German Gestapo officers to be hanged for the torture and murder of 7 Allied soldiers: 2 British soldiers; 4 American airmen; and CPT Hall. The condemned Nazis were: Major August Schiffer; Underofficer Albert Storz; and Lieutenant Heinrich Andergasse. The specific crime of which Lieutenant Andergasse was convicted was the murder of CPT Hall. A 4th defendant, Gendarme Hans Butz was convicted of the same crime but was given a life sentence. Major August Schiffer, the Gestapo Chief at Bolzano, claimed that CPT Hall had done "most serious damage" to the German war effort.

On 26 July 1946, the 3 Nazi officers were hanged.

Medals, Awards and Badges

Distinguished Service Cross
Legion of Merit
Purple Heart
Prisoner of War Medal
Army Good Conduct Medal
American Defense Service Medal
American Campaign Medal
European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with Bronze Star
World War II Victory Medal
Parachutist Badge with Combat Jump Star

Distinguished Service Cross Citation

The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress July 9, 1918, takes pride in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross (Posthumously) to Captain (Corps of Engineers) Roderick S. G. Hall (ASN: 0-1114150), United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations against an armed enemy while serving with Company D, 2677th Regiment, Office of Strategic Services, in action from 2 August 1944 to 27 January 1945, in Italy. Volunteering for a special mission into enemy-occupied territory, Captain Hall parachuted into the region southeast of the Brenner Pass on 2 August 1944 for the purpose of disrupting enemy communications routes. Remaining as a lone allied officer in this mountainous area and repeatedly exposing himself to capture by an enemy constantly seeking him, he interrupted communications, collected and relayed intelligence information, demolished enemy installations and facilities and organized and operated with partisan bands intent on inflicting the utmost damage to the hostile occupying forces. Constantly eluding capture and frequently exposed to the severe winter weather, he was reported to have been wounded twice and to have seriously frozen his feet during his gallant exploits. Proceeding along to blow up the electric transformer station at Cortina d'Ampezzo and damage the railway system there, he was captured by the enemy on 27 January 1945 and died in a concentration camp at Bolzano, Italy, on 20 February 1945. The sustained devotion to duty, consummate fortitude, and indomitable courage displayed by Captain Hall in refusing to leave a highly dangerous area while he could still do damage to the enemy and his brave undertaking of an exceedingly perilous operation alone and unassisted reflect great credit on himself and are in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service.

Department of the Army, General Orders No. 85 (September 25, 1951)

Burial

Captain Roderick Stephen Goodspeed Hall is buried at the Florence American Cemetery and Memorial in Florence, Città Metropolitana di Firenze, Toscana, Italy in Plot D, Row 10, Grave 22.