When soldiers don't come
home
By L. N. Trottie
August 28, 2008
There was a peace to Army Cpl. James Hale and former Maywood resident before
his family was rocked by the news of his death.
“There was a calm in his voice,” said his mother Virgie Fox two weeks before a
road side bomb detonated underneath the Humvee the 23-year-old was driving.
“I really believe he knew,” Fox said of her sons death. “He had something in his
spirit that knew something was going to happen.”
Hale died Aug. while, on patrol with the 978th Military Police Academy, 93rd
Military Police Battalion in Baghdad, helping to train Iraqi police. It was Hales
second tour in Iraq.
Hale grew up in Maywood and attended MacArthur Middle School. He moved to
Naperville and attended Naperville Central High School until his third year and
moved to Columbus, Ohio where he finished his senior year. It was in Columbus
where Hale, after witnessing the events of Sep. 11, decided to join the Army and
serve his country. Hale enlisted in June 2003. “When 9/11 happened he felt like
he had to protect me and his country,” Fox said.
Before leaving off to basic training, Hale met his wife-to-be Jessica. The two
married when Hale returned from basic training.
James and Jessica started adding to their family in 2004. Hale is survived by
three children, Jaden, 4, Jesse, 3, and Jordan born just two weeks after Hale’s
second deployment to Iraq on June 26. Jordan, their youngest child, never got to
be held by her father. “His life had barely started,” Jessica said of her husband.
“I’m mad at the world for that.”
Hale was posthumously awarded the Purple Heart, the highest military honor,
according to the Department of Defense.
Funeral services for Hale were held last Thursday at Corbin Colonial Funeral
Chapel and Rock of Ages Baptist Church.
Cpl. James Hale
