William P. T. Hill
William P. T. Hill | |
|---|---|
| Born | February 22, 1895 Vinita, Oklahoma |
| Died | December 6, 1965 (aged 70) Bethesda Naval Hospital |
| Buried | |
| Allegiance | United States of America |
| Branch | United States Marine Corps |
| Years of service | 1917–1955 |
| Rank | Major general |
| Commands | Camp Lejeune |
| Battles / wars | World War I World War II |
| Awards | Navy Distinguished Service Medal |
| Alma mater | |
William Pendleton Thompson Hill (22 February 1895–6 December 1965) was a United States Marine Corps major general who served as Quartermaster General of the Marine Corps from 1944 to 1955.
Early life
Hill was born in Vinita, Oklahoma, and attended Kemper Military School. He later graduated from Western Military Academy in Alton, Illinois. After his graduation from the University of Oklahoma, he entered active duty as a second lieutenant in the Marine Corps on 12 July 1917.[1]
Military career
After attending flight school at the Naval Coastal Air Station in Cape May, New Jersey, Hill served as one of the Marine Corps' first aviators. In 1918, he served as a pilot with the 1st Marine Aeronautic Company, flying seaplane patrols in the Azores.[2]
In 1920, Hill was assigned as a member of the Naval Alaskan Coal Commission, where he served as a geologist during the survey of Alaskan coal fields.[1] As a captain, he commanded a company assigned to the American Legation in Peking, China. While there, he participated in Doctor Roy Chapman Andrews' third expedition to the Gobi Desert in Mongolia, as the expedition topographer.[3]
In 1933, Hill was posted overseas to Haiti, where he served as the quartermaster and paymaster director for the Garde d'Haiti.[1]
During World War II, Hill was initially assigned as the liaison officer during the construction of Camp Lejeune, and briefly served as camp commander during 1941.
In 1943, Hill was reassigned to Marine Corps headquarters for duty in the Quartermaster Department, becoming quartermaster general on 1 February 1944, a position he held until his retirement in 1955. Victor Krulak, in First to Fight, described Hill as the "classic representative of the Quartermaster's tradition of fierce frugality....thrift was his watchword...[4]
Hill was awarded the Navy Distinguished Service Medal his "exceptionally meritorious and distinguished service in positions of great responsibility to the Government of the United States" from 8 September 1939 to 1947, including for his role in the design of the Marine Corps base at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina: "He was entirely and almost solely responsible for the detailed layout of the establishment."[5][6]
Hill died on December 6, 1965 in Bethesda Naval Hospital at the age of 70.[1] He is buried in Arlington National Cemetery[6]
Decorations
Major General Hill's ribbon bar:[1]
| | |||
| Naval Aviator Badge | |||||||||||||
| 1st Row | Navy Distinguished Service Medal | Navy Commendation Medal | Marine Corps Expeditionary Medal with service star | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2nd Row | World War I Victory Medal with aviation clasp | American Defense Service Medal | American Campaign Medal | Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal with one service star | |||||||||
| 3rd Row | World War II Victory Medal | National Defense Service Medal | Haitian Distinguished Service Medal and Diploma | Commander of the Order of Orange-Nassau with swords (Netherlands) | |||||||||
W.P.T. Hill Award
The W.P.T. Hill Award was established in 1985 to improve food service operation and recognize the best messes in the Marine Corps. Competitors are judged on areas such as operations, sanitation, taste and quality of food.[7][8][9]
References
- ^ a b c d e "Major General William P.T. Hill, USMC". Who's Who in Marine Corps History. History Division, United States Marine Corps. Archived from the original on 2011-06-15. Retrieved 30 June 2008.
- ^ "Now and Then". Marine Corps Gazette. February 1964.
- ^ Hill, Captain W.P.T., (AQM), USMC (September 1929). "With Roy Chapman Andrews in Mongolia". Marine Corps Gazette.
{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ Krulak, Victor H. (1999). "Part IV: The Pennypinchers". First to Fight (Illustrated ed.). Naval Institute Press. pp. 146–147. ISBN 978-1-55750-464-7. Retrieved 26 January 2009.
- ^ "William Pendleton Thompson Hill". Hall of Valor. Military Times. Retrieved April 25, 2025.
- ^ a b Chavez, Will (14 January 2025). "Major General William Hill inducted into Oklahoma Military Hall of Fame". Cherokee Phoenix. Retrieved 25 April 2025.
- ^ "Hill Awards: Examining the Hill Award Process" (PDF). Government Food Services. Hennessy Travelers' Association. May 2009. Retrieved 25 April 2025.
- ^ Staes, Pfc. Mary A. (January 15, 2008). "Georgia reserve unit wins food service award'". Marine Forces Reserve. Retrieved 26 January 2009.
- ^ "MARADMIN 523/23 - Major General W.P.T. Hill Memorial Award for Food Service Excellence and Food Service Specialist of the Year Program". 13 October 2023. Retrieved 25 April 2025.