Edwin J. Hill’s Medal of Honor citation

The President of the United States in the name of The Congress takes pride in presenting the MEDAL OF HONOR posthumously to

CHIEF BOATSWAIN

EDWIN JOSEPH HILL

NAVY

for service as set forth in the following

CITATION:

For The President of the United States of America, in the name of Congress, takes pride in presenting the Medal of Honor (Posthumously) to Chief Boatswain Edwin Joseph Hill, United States Navy, for distinguished conduct in the line of his profession, extraordinary courage, and disregard of his own safety during the attack on the Fleet in Pearl Harbor, Territory of Hawaii, by Japanese forces on 7 December 1941. During the height of the strafing and bombing, Chief Boatswain Hill led his men of the line-handling details of the U.S.S. NEVADA (BB-36) to the quays, cast off the lines and swam back to his ship. Later, while on the forecastle, attempting to let go the anchors, he was blown overboard and killed by the explosion of several bombs.

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Born: Oct. 4, 1895 in Philadelphia, Pa…. When the attacks began, Chief Hill dove from the deck of the ship and swam to the dock to supervise the release of Nevada from her mooring. Once that was complete, Hill dove back into the water and swam back to the ship and climbed back aboard to resume his duties… Is the namesake of the destroyer escort USS HILL (DE-141)… Interred at the National Military Cemetery of the Pacific in Honolulu, Hawaii