Hill, David, L., COL

David Lee "Tex" Hill was a fighter pilot and flying ace in World War II, with later service in Korea.  Before WWII he served in the United States Navy, and during WWII he saw combat with the famed "Flying Tigers."    After the deactivation of the Flying Tigers in July 1942,  Hill was one of only five Flying Tigers to join the US Army Air Forces.  He was promoted to major in the Army Air Corps, and activated the 75th Fighter Squadron and was later to command the 23rd Fighter Group as a Colonel.

It is believed that he was the first to down a Zero with a P-51.  Altogether, Hill destroyed 18.25 enemy aircraft. The .25 kill comes from an assist; he and 3 other pilots worked together to shoot down a Nate.

He ended his military career in the Air Force Reserves, retiring as a Brigadier General. He holds the Distinguished Service Cross, Silver Star, Distinguished Flying Cross with three 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.
 

Recruited from the U.S. Navy into the AVG. Traveled to the Far East on the M/V Bloemfontein and was a member of the "Bloom Gang". Flight leader and later Squadron Leader of the 2nd Pursuit Sqdn "Panda Bears". Tex was credited with 12 1/4 enemy aircraft destroyed while flying with the Flying Tigers. Following the 4 July 1942 disbandment of the AVG, Tex commanded the Tiger Sharks of the 75th Fighter Squadron, 23rd Fighter Group, CATF. His call sign was "Shark One". Later, when he returned from assignments stateside, Tex commanded the 23rd Fighter Group of the 14th Air Force. Adding 6 more aerial victories, his WWII total stands at 18.25, making Tex a triple ace. He served for many years on the Board of Directors of the AVG Flying Tigers Association.