BG JOHN G. HILL was serving as a major with an infantry battalion near Habung-ni, Korea, when his extraordinary heroism brought him the Distinguished Service Cross. On the night of 26 September 1950, the battalion of which Major Hill was a member was moving rapidly forward in pursuit of hostile troops. Suddenly the column was subjected to a large volume of artillery and automatic-weapons fire which pinned it down and inflicted several casualties. Simultaneously, two enemy tanks appeared, and, directing murderous cannon and machine-gun fire against the friendly unit, succeeded in dividing it into two parts. Major Hill, with keen tactical perception, hurried up the road until he reached the battalion’s advance party, which immediately organized into rocket-launcher teams and guided back to the scene of the battle. With complete disregard for his personal safety, he supervised the emplacement and firing of the rocket launchers while simultaneously throwing grenades and firing his own weapon with deadly accuracy at the foe. Just as one of the hostile tanks was destroyed by the rocket-launcher fire, six additional tanks reinforced the hostile troops, greatly increasing the threat to the friendly unit. Major Hill immediately launched an attack on the newly arrived tanks, and directed the fire of his men with great effectiveness until two more tanks were destroyed and the remainder retreated. Inspired by Major Hill’s courageous example, the friendly troops beat off the attack and continued their advance. The extraordinary heroism and completely selfless devotion to duty displayed by Major Hill throughout this action reflect great credit on himself and are in keeping with the most esteemed traditions of the military service.

BG. Hill joined the L.O.V. in 1973.