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Military Service: Air Force

DAVID HALL was born in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. He received a bachelor of arts degree from the University of Oklahoma in 1952 and a law degree from the University of Tulsa in 1969. He served in the U.S. Air Force from 1952 and was a captain in the U.S. Air Force Reserve, Judge Advocate General Division. Hall served as Assistant Tulsa County Attorney from 1959 to 1962 and Tulsa County Attorney from 1962 to 1966. In the 1970 gubernatorial election, Hall defeated incumbent Governor Dewey Bartlett in the closest gubernatorial election in state history, which required a recount to confirm the outcome. During his tenure as governor, Hall was a member of the National Governors Association's Executive Committee. His administration focused on the state's education system and was committed to expansion of Oklahoma's roads. Three days after leaving office, Hall was indicted by a federal grand jury for violations of antiracketeering statutes while he was the state's chief executive. He was convicted and served nineteen months of a three-year sentence. Upon his release, he was disbarred, effectively preventing him from practicing law in Oklahoma. He later moved to La Jolla, California, becoming a sales executive.

SOURCES:

Oklahoma Governors Since Statehood

Sobel, Robert, and John Raimo, eds. Biographical Directory of the Governors of the United States, 1789-1978, Vol. 3. Westport, CT: Meckler Books, 1978. 4 vols.

Wikipedia.org