Posted on 10/11/2007 9:08:41 PM PDT by Racehorse
David Lee "Tex" Hill, a World War II fighter pilot who was the youngest brigadier general in the history of the Texas Air National Guard, died Thursday. He was 92.
. . .
Hill graduated as a naval aviator in 1939, and in 1941, he joined the Flying Tigers, an American volunteer group based in China during World War II. He shot down 18 1/4 enemy aircraft during the war, Bowman said. The "quarter" came when four planes were involved in shooting down an enemy plane and each pilot was credited with one-fourth of the downing.
Hill emerged from the war a national hero. John Wayne portrayed him in the 1942 film, "The Flying Tigers," and Hill earned numerous medals, among them the Silver Star, Legion of Merit, four Distinguished Flying Crosses, the British Flying Cross and six Chinese combat decorations.
"He's appreciated by so many for the things that he did, and he's appreciated by me for being such a wonderful father," his daughter Shannon Schaupp said. "If I could put one label, I would say integrity."
Hill was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross in 2002, 59 years after a dogfight in enemy-occupied territory in China. A three-member Air Force panel said Hill had been denied the medal because of a personality conflict between two Army generals and his boss, Brig. Gen. Claire Lee Chennault, who recommended Hill for the award.
"I can say this probably on behalf of fifty people, except for my own dad who is my personal hero, 'Tex' Hill was the biggest hero I ever had," Bowman said. "Unquestioning integrity and loyalty, purpose, determination, compassion."
A longtime San Antonian, Hill logged 3,500 hours, flew 150 combat sorties and later tested the first U.S. jets before joining the Air National Guard.
(Excerpt) Read more at chron.com ...
Damn.
Hero ping.
Where do we get such men.....
http://www.flyingtigersavg.com/tiger7.htm
I have Tex’s signature on “The Legend Begins” poster just above my monitor. May he rest in peace.
The Right Stuff all right!
As is my 86 y/o father who piloted a C47 in the European theater.
Rest in peace, General. Prayers for his family.
Rest In Peace, General Hill, and thank you for your service to our country.
May Perpetual Light Shine Upon Him....
Salute to another great man of America’s Greatest Generation
What a great guy. Rest in peace David.
You will be missed...
I once had a chance to buy a picture of the flying tigers taken by Tex Hill with a kodak Brownie. The guy selling it was a man of integrity so I am sure it was authentic. Just coudln’t afford it.
I got to meet and even talk to General Robert L. Scott of “God is My Co-Pilot” fame. I think he was credited with either 26 or maybe 28 victories. Scott didn’t officially fly with the AVG although he in actual fact did. He then led the fighter wing of the U.S. Air Force unit which replaced the AVG, still under Chennault.
The old character had that certain type of indefinable charisma which only Southern Gentlemen seem to have. In addition he was just plain likeable. He was around 90 and when the meeting was over, he got in the drivers seat of his Cadillac and drove the hundred miles or more back to Warner Robbins with his Daughter.
Wow. That’s an interesting story. These guys were my heroes. Some people call me a dinosaur because I watch these old movies. I’m not that old but these are movies that mean something to me. A long time ago I bought a book from an old book store in upstate N.Y. It was about the AVG. It was one of the few books that I actually read from beginning to end without losing interest.
Scott spoke really highly of Tex Hill, Ed Rector and several others I can’t recall. He also like Chennault. One man he didn’t like was General Stilwell.
Scott also mentioned how he had been told not to destroy certain bridges which needed to be destroyed because the communists wanted them left alone. Scott said the Commies were clearly calling a lot of the shots in the American State Department. He also didn’t care for General Biddell or was it Bissell?
Yep that is true of many who could see the communist threat. As the Generalissimo said, “The Japanese are a disease of the skin. The communists are a disease of the heart.”
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