102-year-old World War II veteran from Kentucky passes away

LONDON, Ky. (WKYT) - Dan Hale has died.

According to his obituary, the 102-year-old veteran from London, Ky. passed away Tuesday.

Hale served in World War II and was part of the second wave of U.S. troops sent into Normandy, France, where choices he made ultimately kept him alive while German forces captured others in his unit.

Hale spoke to our system station, WYMT, back in 2021 about his military service.

“It’d be nice for everybody to learn a lot of discipline, a lot of manners,” Hale said in the interview. They’ll (teach) you a lot in the Army.”

Hale was also part of a group of veterans that WKYT covered during an Honor Flight trip to Washington DC in 2018.

He leaves behind his wife of 76 years, Alma Arthur Hale; nine children, 26 grandchildren, 52 great-grandchildren and 17 great-great-grandchildren.

The family will receive friends on Friday, March 10, at 6 p.m. in the chapel of House-Rawlings Funeral Home and on Saturday beginning at 11 a.m. at the church.

Funeral services for Hale will be held on Saturday, March 11 at 1:00 p.m. at Hightop Baptist Church. Burial will follow at Hale Cemetery in Hightop, Kentucky.