Page 110 - The History of Veterans at Highland Springs

JOHN WALL
HIGHLAND SPRINGS RESIDENT, MARINES BY SHIRLEY WALL, WIDOW
John Wall left Jesuit High School in 1945, at the age of 17, in the middle of his senior year to join the Marine Corps. After basic and some advanced training, he ended up on Okinawa just after the battle there ended. He was training for the invasion of Japan when the war ended. In 1946 he was discharged and came home to Dallas and got his college degree.
In the summer of 1950, John met some friends at the Highland Park Pharmacy, and they all decided to sign up for Naval Air training. After receiving his wings, he decided to go into Marine Air so he would be land based. He ended up serving on three different Aircraft Carriers. He had Mediterranean cruises on the Tarawa and the Coral Sea.
He did a world cruise in the Saipan from September 1953 to August 1954. During that time, they did Yellow Sea patrol of Korea. That was interrupted once when they took Corsairs to the French in Indochina. The squadron, VMF 324, was the only Marine Squadron to ever do a world cruise. I think that record still stands. During active duty he flew the Corsair, Bear Cat and the AD Skyraider.
John was discharged in 1955 and became a Reservist at Navy Dallas for 17 1/2 years. He was grounded from flying fighters in 1962 due to back surgery and spent the rest of his time (ten years) as the lone Marine in a Navy Transport Squadron. His Commanding Office was former Highland Springs resident Ben King!
John passed away on November 22, 2014. A proud Marine to the end.
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