James E. Hill

James Erskine Hill
James Erskine Hill
	Air Force Distinguished Service Medal (2); Silver Star; Legion of Merit (3); Distinguished Flying Cross (4); Air Medal (41)

Colorado Springs, Colorado

.

Early life and education

Hill was born in

Oklahoma State University and the University of Oklahoma. He entered the United States Army Air Corps as an aviation cadet in March 1942 and was commissioned as a second lieutenant

upon completing pilot training in February 1943.

Military career

In December 1943, Hill was assigned to the

P-51 Mustang squadron in the Oklahoma Air National Guard

.

In November 1948, Hill returned to active duty and served as a flight commander with the 3525th Pilot Training Wing,

enemy aircraft

.

Hill returned to the United States in September 1951 and was reassigned to the 3525th Pilot Training Wing as an operations and training staff officer. He transferred to

Fort Bragg, North Carolina

in January 1952 for duty with the Joint Tactical Air Support Board.

In April 1953, he departed for

20th Fighter-Bomber Wing

and served as director of operations and as deputy commander.

Hill returned to the United States in July 1957 and was assigned as senior Air Force adviser for the

Lockbourne Air Force Base, Ohio

. From August 1960 to August 1963, he was assigned to Headquarters U.S. Air Force in the Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff, Operations, in the Directorate of Manpower and Organization, as chief of Contract Services Branch, and later served as deputy chief of Organizational Requirements Division.

He attended the

Thirteenth Air Force

as deputy chief of staff, plans and operations.

Hill returned to the United States in July 1966 and commanded the 3615th Pilot Training Wing, Craig Air Force Base, Alabama. In July 1967, he was assigned as commander of the 40th Air Division at Wurtsmith Air Force Base, Michigan, and in June 1968, he assumed command of the 825th Strategic Aerospace Division at Little Rock Air Force Base, Arkansas. In January 1970, he became commander of the 42d Air Division, Blytheville Air Force Base, Arkansas.

Hill was named deputy assistant to the Secretary of Defense (Atomic Energy) in July 1971. He remained in that post until June 1972 when he was transferred to the United Kingdom as commander of the Third Air Force. In November 1973, he returned to Headquarters U.S. Air Force to be assistant deputy chief of staff for plans and operations.

In September 1974, Hill was assigned as commander in chief, Alaskan Command, with additional duty as commander, Alaskan North American Air Defense Region, with headquarters at Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska. He became commander of Alaskan Air Command after dissolution of ALCOM and assimilation of its responsibilities by AAC in July 1975.

Hill was transferred during October 1976 to

North American Air Defense Command (NORAD), and was promoted to the rank of general

on December 21, 1977.

Later life

Hill retired on December 31, 1979, and in retirement was President of the Colorado Springs Chamber of Commerce.[2] Hill died of cancer^[3] on May 20, 1999, aged 77, and was buried at the United States Air Force Academy Cemetery.

Awards and decorations

U.S. Air Force Command Pilot Badge

	Army Distinguished Service Cross
	Defense Distinguished Service Medal
	Air Force Distinguished Service Medal with bronze oak leaf cluster
	Silver Star
	Legion of Merit with two bronze oak leaf clusters
	Distinguished Flying Cross with three bronze oak leaf clusters
	Air Medal with four silver oak leaf clusters
	Air Medal with three silver and one bronze oak leaf clusters
	Air Medal with two bronze oak leaf clusters
	Air Force Commendation Medal with bronze oak leaf cluster
	Army Commendation Medal
	Air Force Presidential Unit Citation with two bronze oak leaf clusters
	Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with bronze oak leaf cluster
	American Campaign Medal
	campaign star
	World War II Victory Medal
	Army of Occupation Medal
	National Defense Service Medal with one bronze service star
	Korean Service Medal with one bronze campaign star
	Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal
	Vietnam Service Medal with one silver campaign star
	Air Force Longevity Service Award with silver and three bronze oak leaf clusters
	Small Arms Expert Marksmanship Ribbon
	Croix de Guerre with silver star (France)
	Croix de Guerre with Palm (Belgium)
	Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation
	United Nations Korea Medal
	Vietnam Campaign Medal
	Korean War Service Medal

Distinguished Service Cross citation

Hill, James Erskine

Major (Air Corps), U.S Army Air Forces

388th Fighter Squadron, 365th Fighter Group, 9th Air Force

Date of Action: April 18, 1945

Headquarters, U.S. Army Air Forces in Europe, General Orders No. 134 (October 14, 1945)

Citation:

The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross to Major (Air Corps) James Erskine Hill, United States Army Air Forces, for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations against an armed enemy while serving as Pilot of a P-47 Thunderbolt of the 388th Fighter Squadron, 365th Fighter Group, NINTH Air Force, in action while leading a squadron of eleven P-47's on 18 April 1945. On this date, Major Hill encountered and aggressively attacked a numerically superior force of ME-109's. Demonstrating cool judgment and daring courage, he personally destroyed three enemy aircraft and expertly led and directed his squadron mates in the destruction of seven more in the air, two on the ground, and one damaged on the ground, thus accounting for all the enemy aircraft encountered without loss of a single P-47 or pilot. Major Hill's heroism, skill, and complete disregard for his personal safety reflect highest credit upon himself and the Armed Forces of the United States.^[4]

Legacy

The General James E. Hill Lifetime Space Achievement Award is presented annually by the Space Foundation to an outstanding individual who has distinguished himself/herself through lifetime contributions to the welfare or betterment of humankind through the exploration, development and use of space, or the use of space technology, information, themes or resources in academic, cultural, industrial or other pursuits of broad benefit to humanity. Gen. Hill was the chairman of the Space Foundation from 1986 to 1999. Recipients include:

2002 Norman R. Augustine
2003 CAPT James A. Lovell Jr.,USN (Ret.)
2004 The late Gen.
Bernard A. Schriever
, USAF (Ret.)
2005 The Honorable
Edward C. Aldridge, Jr.
2006 Buzz Aldrin, Sc.D.
2007 Simon Ramo, Ph.D.
2008 Hans Mark, Ph.D.
2009 The Honorable Peter B. Teets
2010 CAPT John Young (astronaut), USN, (Ret.)
2011 Dr. Charles Elachi, Ph.D.
2012 Gen.
Thomas S. Moorman, Jr.
, USAF, (Ret.)
2013 Neil Armstrong and Sally Ride, Ph.D.
2014 A. Thomas Young
2015 Jean-Jacques Dordain, Director General of the European Space Agency (ESA)
2016 VADM Richard H. Truly, USN, (Ret.)
2017 Piers Sellers, Ph.D.
2018 Christopher Columbus "Chris" Kraft Jr.

References

^ "James E. Hill Jr. – tribunedigital-orlandosentinel". Articles.orlandosentinel.com. 1991-09-27. Retrieved 2016-12-16.
^ Stengel, Richard (2001-06-24). "Roger, Houston . . . Er, Colorado". TIME. Archived from the original on September 30, 2007. Retrieved 2016-12-16.
^ "Rbert Carr Doyle, 78, an Emmy-winning television producer who helped launch The Huntley-Brinkley Report and the National Geographic Society's TV nature specials, died Friday in Washington, D.C., of pneumonia". Nl.newsbank.com. Retrieved 2016-12-16.
^ "Valor awards for James Erskine Hill". Retrieved 2 November 2019.

This article incorporates public domain material from the United States Air Force

[1] "James E. Hill Jr. – tribunedigital-orlandosentinel". Articles.orlandosentinel.com. 1991-09-27. Retrieved 2016-12-16.

[2] Stengel, Richard (2001-06-24). "Roger, Houston . . . Er, Colorado". TIME. Archived from the original on September 30, 2007. Retrieved 2016-12-16.

[3] "Rbert Carr Doyle, 78, an Emmy-winning television producer who helped launch The Huntley-Brinkley Report and the National Geographic Society's TV nature specials, died Friday in Washington, D.C., of pneumonia". Nl.newsbank.com. Retrieved 2016-12-16.

[4] "Valor awards for James Erskine Hill". Retrieved 2 November 2019.

[3]

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