James E. Hill

James Erskine Hill
General James E. Hill, USAF, CINCNORAD/CINCAD
Born	October 1, 1921 Stillwater, Oklahoma
Died	May 20, 1999(1999-05-20) (aged 77) Colorado Springs, Colorado
Allegiance	United States
Service/branch	United States Air Force
Years of service	1942–1979
Rank	General
Commands held	North American Air Defense Command Eighth Air Force Alaskan Command Vice Commander-in-Chief, Strategic Air Command
Battles/wars	World War II Korean War Vietnam War
Awards	Distinguished Service Cross Silver Star Legion of Merit (3) Distinguished Flying Cross (4) Air Medal (41)

General James Erskine Hill (October 1, 1921 – May 20, 1999) was a World War II flying ace, U.S. Air Force general, and commander in chief of the North American Air Defense Command and the U.S. Air Force Aerospace Defense Command, with consolidated headquarters at Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado Springs, Colorado.

Hill was born in 1921, in Stillwater, Oklahoma. He graduated from Stillwater High School and then attended Oklahoma State University and the University of Oklahoma. He entered the U.S. Army Air Corps as an aviation cadet in March 1942 and was commissioned as a second lieutenant upon completing pilot training in February 1943.

In December 1943, Hill was assigned to the European theater of operations as a P-47 Thunderbolt fighter pilot. He became a World War II ace, credited with five enemy aircraft shot down while flying 127 combat missions. He returned to the United States in September 1945 and was released from active duty in December 1945. He then became the commander of a 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, Williams Air Force Base, Arizona. In August 1950, he was transferred to the 8th Fighter-Bomber Wing at Itazuke Air Base, Japan, and began flying combat missions in Korea. He later joined Headquarters Fifth Air Force, Osan Air Base, Korea, where he served as operations officer and chief, Fighter Operations Division, Directorate of Operations. He flew 128 combat missions as an F-80 pilot, downing one enemy aircraft.