David Lee "Tex" Hill

David Lee "Tex" Hill (July 13, 1915 – October 11, 2007) was an American fighter pilot and triple flying ace. He is credited with victories as a squadron leader with the Flying Tigers and another six as an officer in the United States Army Air Corps in World War II. He retired as a brigadier general.

Early life He was born in Gwangju, Korea (then under Japanese rule), the youngest of four children of Presbyterian missionaries. The family returned to the United States when he was 15 months old. They eventually settled in San Antonio, Texas, where his father was the minister of the First Presbyterian Church.

"Tex" graduated from San Antonio Academy, San Antonio, Texas, in 1928 and from McCallie School in Chattanooga, Tennessee, in 1934. While attending McCallie, he won the Tennessee Middleweight Championship in boxing in 1934.

Hill's first flight occurred at Winburn Field, when Marion P. Hair took Tex and a friend up in his Travel Air 4000. The boys had snuck out of church one Sunday, and paid for the flight with their collection money.

Military career After graduating from Austin College in 1938, Hill enlisted in the United States Navy.

World War II

In 1941, he was recruited with other Navy, Army and Marine Corps pilots to join the 1st American Volunteer Group (AVG), better known by its later nickname of the Flying Tigers. He sailed from San Francisco under a fake passport and arrived at Rangoon, Burma, on September 15, 1941. He was inducted into the National Aviation Hall of Fame in 2006.

In 2002, he was conveyed an honorary lifetime membership in the U.S. Air Force Auxiliary (Civil Air Patrol) with a squadron of the CAP named in his honor—the Tex Hill Composite Squadron, of San Marcos, TX (SWR-TX-435). This squadron went on to become the third largest CAP squadron in the nation and in 2003 became the most decorated CAP squadron in the nation receiving the Texas Squadron of Merit, Texas Emergency Services Squadron of the Year, Regional (SW Region of the USA) Squadron of Distinction, and National Squadron of Distinction.

Hill died at the age of ninety-two on October 11, 2007, in Terrell Hills, Texas, of congestive heart failure. More than 2,000 people attended his funeral. He was buried at nearby Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery.

On November 2, 2007, the National Museum of the Pacific War in Fredericksburg observed "Tex" Hill Day with speeches, patriotic music, and friends' memories of the fallen hero.

On November 2, 2008, the Air Force Heritage Flight at the Lackland AFB Air Show in San Antonio was dedicated to Hill. It consisted of an F-22, an F-15E, an F-16C, and a P-40 like the one Hill flew with the AVG.

Middle School 14 in San Antonio was named "Hill Middle School" after him in June 2013.

Awards and decorations During his career he was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross, Distinguished Flying Cross with two Oak Leaf Clusters, Presidential Unit Citation with Oak Leaf Cluster, Chinese Order of the Cloud and Banner 4th, 5th and 6th grades, 2-Star Wing Decorations, Chinese Victory Medal, Legion of Merit, and British Distinguished Flying Cross.

U.S. Air Force Command Pilot BadgeDistinguished Service CrossLegion of MeritDistinguished Flying Crossw/ 2 bronze oak leaf clustersAir Medalw/ 1 bronze oak leaf clusterAir Force Presidential Unit Citationw/ 1 bronze oak leaf clusterAmerican Defense Service Medalw/ 1 bronze campaign starAmerican Campaign MedalAsiatic-Pacific Campaign Medalw/ 1 silver and bronze campaign starsWorld War II Victory MedalNational Defense Service MedalAir Force Longevity Service AwardArmed Forces Reserve Medalw/ silver hourglass deviceDistinguished Flying Cross(United Kingdom)Order of the Cloud and Banner(1st class)(Republic of China)Order of the Cloud and Banner(4th class)(Republic of China)Order of the Cloud and Banner(6th class)(Republic of China)Army, Navy & Air Force Medal(Republic of China)China War Memorial Medal(Republic of China)

Distinguished Service Cross

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) David Lee "Tex" 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-40 Fighter Airplane in the 75th Fighter Squadron, 23d Fighter Group, Tenth Air Force, in aerial combat against enemy forces on October 25, 1942, while performing bomber escort duty over enemy-held territory in the China Theatre. On this date, Major Hill attacked, without hesitation, superior numbers of enemy aircraft that were rising to intercept United States B-24 bombers. Without hesitation, he turned his aircraft on its back for a high-speed dive and placed his aircraft between enemy fighters and the B-24 bombers. With exceptional flying ability, Major Hill forced enemy aircraft to turn from the attack and dive away. With skillful marksmanship, he destroyed one aircraft and severely damaged three others resulting in their probable destruction. Major Hill's leadership, spirit, and extraordinary heroism in action against enemy forces in carrying the attack to the enemy without thought of the odds against himself were an inspiration to all fighter pilots. By his intrepid direction, heroic leadership, and superior professional ability, Major Hill set an inspiring example to his fellow aviators. Major Hill's extraordinary heroism and zealous devotion to duty were in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself, the 10th Air Force, and the United States Army Air Forces.

Personal life Hill married Mazie Sale on March 27, 1943, two weeks after noticing her at the First Presbyterian Church in Victoria, Texas while on leave, recovering from malaria. They were together until his death.