Harry W. Hill (admiral)

Harry Wilbur Hill
Harry Wilbur Hill
	United States of America
Service/branch	United States Navy
Years of service	1907–1952
Rank	Admiral
Commands held	Dewey; Wichita; Battleship Division Four; Fifth Amphibious Force
Battles/wars	World War I; World War II Battle of Tarawa; Gilbert and Marshall Islands campaign; Mariana and Palau Islands campaign; Battle of Iwo Jima; Battle of Okinawa; ;
Awards	Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal; World War I Victory Medal; World War II Victory Medal

Harry Wilbur Hill (7 April 1890 – July 19, 1971) was an admiral^{[citation needed]} in the United States Navy during World War II. One of his classmates was Admiral George D. Murray.

Biography

Hill was born in Oakland, California on 7 April 1890. He entered the United States Naval Academy in 1907, graduating in June 1911.

Early career

After graduation from the Naval Academy, he served successively in the armored cruiser Maryland (ACR-8), torpedo boat tender Iris, and destroyer Perry (DD-11), with the Pacific Flotilla; and as Engineer Officer of the protected cruiser Albany (CL-23).

World War I

From January 1917 he served on the battleship

German High Seas Fleet

upon the cessation of hostilities.

1918–1931

On 23 November 1918, he reported as Navigator of the battleship

Atlantic Fleet. In July of that year, he transferred to similar duty on the Staff of Commander Division Six, Pacific Fleet. After serving two months at the Naval Academy, in November 1919 he became Aide to the Chief of Naval Operations

, where he remained until March 1923.

He assisted in fitting out the

Hampton Roads, Virginia, then had service from July 1928 to May 1931, as Gunnery Officer of Maryland (BB-46). He was aboard that battleship in 1929 when she won the Gunnery Trophy and he received a commendatory letter from the Secretary of the Navy

.

1931–1942

Returning to the United States, he reported as Battalion Officer in the Executive Department of the Naval Academy, and from June 1933 to 1934 served as Force Gunnery Officer on the staff of Commander

Battle Force, U.S. Fleet in the Pacific. Ordered to Bath Iron Works, Commander Hill was in charge of fitting out Dewey (DD-349), then commanded that destroyer from her commissioning, from 4 October 1934 until 17 June 1935. He was again assigned to the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations, and in May 1938 completed the Senior Course at the Naval War College

.

Between June 1938 and February 1940 he was War Plans Officer on the Staff of the Commander in Chief, U.S. Fleet, after which he had a third tour of duty in the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations, where Captain Hill^[1] was attached to the War Plans Division until January 1942.

World War II

Ordered to sea, Hill assumed command of the

Douglas Fairbanks, Jr. In response to 4th of July greetings from the British Convoy Commander, "Many happy returns of the day. The United States is the only country with a known birthday", Hill replied "Thank you. I think England should celebrate Mother’s Day."^[2]

Detached from command of Wichita on 28 September 1942, he reported as Commander Battleship Division Four, USS Maryland, flagship, serving a year in the South Pacific. He was also commander of a task force, which was the first to comprise battleships and escort carriers.

In September 1943 he became Commander Amphibious Group Two,

Okinawa. He relieved the Commander Fifth Amphibious Force at Okinawa in April 1945, and commanded the amphibious and support operations of that force until that island was secured

at the end of June.

Post-war

At the close of the war in August 1945, he commanded the Amphibious Force which landed the

Sixth Army in Southwestern Japan for occupation duty. On 1 November 1945 he assumed duty as Commandant Army-Navy Staff College

, and in June 1946

Superintendent of the Naval Academy and Commandant, Severn River

Naval Command. He continued to serve as such after his retirement on 1 May 1952, until August 1952.

Admiral Hill continued to serve on active duty from 21 October 1952 until 21 May 1954 as Governor of the

Naval Home, Philadelphia

.

Admiral Harry Wilbur Hill died in Annapolis, Maryland on July 19, 1971.

Namesake

In 1978, the destroyer USS Harry W. Hill (DD-986) was named in his honor.

References

^ "Senior Officers, November 1, 1940". Retrieved November 2, 2006.^{[dead link]}
^ "DOUGLAS FAIRBANKS, JR'S CONVOY ADVENTURE". Archived from the original on July 12, 2011. Retrieved November 2, 2006.

External links

[1] "Senior Officers, November 1, 1940". Retrieved November 2, 2006.^{[dead link]}

[2] "DOUGLAS FAIRBANKS, JR'S CONVOY ADVENTURE". Archived from the original on July 12, 2011. Retrieved November 2, 2006.

[1]

[2]

Authority control databases
International	VIAF WorldCat
National	United States
Other	NARA SNAC