The Student News Site of Texas A&M University - College Station

The Battalion

The Student News Site of Texas A&M University - College Station

The Battalion

The Student News Site of Texas A&M University - College Station

The Battalion

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Silver Taps: William Harrison Hall

Provided

September 5, 2000 — May 1, 2023

“He has proven over and over to be of fine, responsible, and empathic character.”
Political science senior William Harrison Hall thought of Texas A&M as more than a college. To him, it was a way of life, his father, William Hall, said.
“I think that [A&M] embodied everything that he wanted to do,” William said. “He just wanted to be part of the whole [A&M] spirit.”
William said Harrison loved to hunt, fish and camp. He also spent his time helping and donating his time, especially during the winter.
“In his last two summers, he worked in Washington, D.C. for Congressman Sessions,” William said. “He started out as an unpaid intern and worked his way up to becoming a paid intern and almost to Congressman Sessions’ Chief of Staff, meaning Congressman Sessions was in one office and had an office right next to him. That was Harrison’s office.”
William watched C-SPAN often, where he saw Harrison and Congressmen Sessions working together during votes.
“When Harrison passed away, Congressman Sessions flew in and met with my wife and I,” William said. “They raised the flag [at the capitol] and they had a moment of silence just with his office. And then they folded up the flag and they sent [it] back to us. So he had a lot of impact, I think not only on Congressman Sessions but the people that work there.”
In a letter, Heidi Hall, Harrison’s sister, said he was a hard-working student, dedicated brother and reliable member of the community.
“I honestly cannot say how many times … Harrison has driven out in dangerous storms to offer his assistance,” Heidi said. “Countless times, with and without co-pilots. He goes out in dangerous conditions and clears roads of debris, blocks off flooded roadways until first-responders arrive, tows stuck cars to safety and drives strangers home.”
Harrison loved the outdoors and visiting national parks, where he camped often.
“For him, camping was not just camping,” William said. “It was a way to visit all the different national parks around the United States.”
Until the end, Harrison’s dedication to A&M was clear. In his junior and senior years, Harrison was a starting player on the front line of the football team.
“He loved the [A&M] traditions,” William said. “He loved being at [A&M]. He was a football player for a year.”
William said Harrison loved history, especially American history.
“Harrison is an exemplary member of our society, head and shoulders above the average American man,” Heidi wrote. “He is my brother, I love him, I am going to miss him every day, and the world is a better place because he was in it.”

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About the Contributor
Nicholas Gutteridge
Nicholas Gutteridge, Managing Editor
Nicholas Gutteridge joined The Battalion in January 2023 as a news reporter before being promoted to news editor in August 2023. He interned at The Pentagon in Washington D.C. from January to May 2024 with the U.S. Air Force Office of Public Affairs before rejoining the newspaper. He will be the managing editor for the 2024-25 academic year.
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