Oct. 14, 1915 - April 7, 2006

Retired U.S. Navy Capt. Hinton H. "Hamp" Ballard died at home Friday. In 1999 he was preceded in death by his wife of 57 years, Doris Yeager Ballard. He was born in Coffeeville, Miss., on Oct. 14, 1915, to Joseph H. and Etha Taylor Ballard. He was one of 11 children.

A seminal event in his life was the Great Mississippi Flood of 1927, which destroyed the family's home and farms, and necessitated dropping out of school for two years to go to work with his father and older brothers. He eventually returned to high school, where he received varsity letters in baseball, basketball and football. He graduated from Shaw High School in 1934. Ballard received athletic scholarships to attend Millsaps College in Jackson, Miss., where he studied astronomy and physics. In 1936, he enlisted in his home state's National Guard. In 1938, he was selected as an all-state player by the National SemiPro Baseball Congress. He graduated from Millsaps with a B.S. degree in June 1939. Thereafter, he worked as an assistant driller on a wildcatting crew in the Texas oil fields.

He was drafted into the Army in March 1941. Because of his collegiate scientific background, Ballard was selected to attend the U.S. Naval Academy's Officer Training Program. In May 1942, as the United States prepared for war he received his commission as an ensign in the U.S. Navy. His initial posting was to the Naval Administration Department at Harvard University, where he served as the 6th Company Commander. Later that year, he joined the crew of the USS Dyson (DD-572), underwent initial sea trials and then sailed via the Panama Canal to combat in the Pacific. Ballard served as the assistant engineering officer on the Dyson and participated in many of the major battles of the war, including sea engagements near Guadalcanal, New Guinea, Truk, Guam and the Philippines. His ship nearly capsized in the great typhoon that struck the U.S. fleet in 1944. The USS Dyson then returned to Brownsville, Texas, for refitting and was still there when the war ended. Ballard was decommissioned and then worked for the U.S. Department of Agriculture until returning to active duty during the Korean War. He thereafter continued his naval career, serving in a variety of posts in Oklahoma, California, South Carolina and Virginia. Sea duty took him to Japan, on an Arctic expedition, and to Spain. He completed his career at the U.S. Naval Reserve Training Command Headquarters in Omaha, Neb., from which he retired in 1967. His career had lasted more than 30 years.

Hamp and Doris Ballard settled in Huntsville in 1968, when he was selected to create a Junior NROTC program at Huntsville High School, which he administered until retiring again in 1974. Within the community, Ballard was a member of Latham Memorial United Methodist Church, a 32nd degree Mason and past president of the South Huntsville Kiwanis Club. He was instrumental in establishing Meals on Wheels in the Huntsville area.

Hamp Ballard is survived by his stepson, Dr. Dennis D. Flynn of Richmond, Va.; daughter, Jean B. Brickle of Barrington, R.I.; and his son, Marvin H. Ballard of Elliston, Va. He is also survived by two sisters, Etha Taylor of Arlington, Texas, and Julia Steichen of Tucson, Ariz. Additional survivors include six grandchildren and 15 greatgrandchildren.

A service celebrating the life of Capt. Ballard will be held at 2 p.m. today at Latham Memorial U.M. Church. The body will lie in state at the church for one hour prior to the funeral service. The Rev. Jim Bailey of Hueytown and the Rev. Hughey Reynolds of Latham will officiate. Christian burial accompanied by a naval honor guard will follow at Valhalla Memory Gardens. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that memorial donations be sent either to the Building Fund at Latham Memorial U.M. Church, 109 Weatherly Road, Huntsville, AL 35803, "Meals on Wheels" at Huntsville/Madison County Senior Center, 2200 Drake Ave., Huntsville, AL 35805, or Hospice Family Care, 3304 Westmill Drive, Huntsville, AL 35805. Valhalla Funeral Home has been entrusted with the arrangements.