David 'Tex' Hill

American military officer, a fighter pilot with the famed "Flying Tigers" of World War II. Hill was born in Korea to American missionary parents. From age 6, he lived with his parents in Texas. After graduation from Austin College in Sherman, Texas, Hill joined the U.S. Navy and trained as a pilot. He flew dive bombers and torpedo bombers prior to the second World War, and was recruited by General Claire Lee Chennault to fly with Chennault's American Volunteer Group, the "Flying Tigers," against the Japanese in China in 1941, six months before America's entry into the war. Hill was one of the AVG's top fighter pilots. After the unit's disbanding in 1942, Hill stayed on in China and eventually commanded the 23rd Fighter Group of the US Army Air Forces. In all, Hill was credited with shooting down 18.25 Japanese planes, making him a triple ace. Following the war, Hill eventually returned to Texas and became a rancher, oilman, and miner. He remained a member of the Army Reserve and in 1946 was given command of the newly-formed Texas Air National Guard, with the rank of brigadier general. At 31, he was the youngest brigadier general in Air National Guard history. In 1948, John Ford and Merian C. Cooper were producing a film about a giant gorilla (Mighty Joe Young (1949)) and Cooper, who had been General Chennault's chief of staff with the "Flying Tigers," asked Hill's help in capturing a real gorilla to use as a photo double in some scenes. Hill went to Africa and caught a gorilla and brought it to Hollywood for use in the film. In 1968 Hill retired from the Air National Guard. He spent the rest of his life in various business pursuits and in touring air shows around the world. In 2002, sixty years after the enemy action for which he was cited, Hill was presented with the Distinguished Service Cross, the army's second highest decoration. He died of congestive heart failure in his home in Terrell Hills, Texas, October 11, 2007 and was buried a few blocks away at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery.