Hal entered USNA from Colebrook, NH.  Following graduation, he served aboard cruisers TOLEDO and NORTHAMPTON before volunteering for submarine duty. His submarine service included SEA LEOPARD, ROBERT E. LEE and QUILLBACK, and command of  JALLAO (SS-368). Hal also served on Staff, Submarine Flotilla EIGHT in Naples, Italy.  Following submarine command, he reported to Staff, Cruiser Destroyer Group EIGHT; then to cruiser WAINWRIGHT; then to the Navy Staff (OP-06) in the Pentagon.  When he took command of the cruiser CHICAGO (CC-11), Hal became the only 56er to command both a submarine and a cruiser. Subsequently, he served with the aviation community as Chief of Staff, Carrier Group ONE, completing nearly 24 years of sea duty. In 1983, Hal became Head, Plans & Policies, at Pacific Fleet Headquarters.  Captain Lewis completed his 31 year Navy career in 1987 as Commanding Officer, Naval Station Seattle/Puget Sound.

After his retirement, Hal received his MBA from UC San Diego. He joined Eltec rising to division comptroller followed by a position as VP Operations for Pacific Rim Imports in Seattle.  Then, in 1992, as Hal wrote, “realizing that dream of all dreams, I bought an ice cream factory -- life has been a retiree’s dream since.” 

Hal died of multiple myeloma cancer in Seattle, WA on 19 September 1997.  His cremains are interred at the Naval Academy Columbarium. His family includes Meg; sons Stephen and Andy, and daughter Elizabeth; and 4 grandchildren.   Meg continues to live in Seattle where she recently retired from the Episcopal Ministry.