Jack Earl Hill

PFC JACK EARL HILL was the recipient of a Purple Heart, a Combat Action Ribbon, a WWII Victory Medal, an American Campaign Medal, a Marine Corps Presidential Citation, an Asiatic-Pacific Theater Medal, a Marine Corp Expeditionary Medal and a Gold Star Lapel Button.

M.I.A. for 77 years, USMC PFC Jack Earl Hill is finally being brought home to family in Washington State. He will be flown with a Marine Escort from Hawaii to Seattle on November 6, 2021. His full Military Honors outdoor service will be held on Veterans Day, 11/11/21, 1:00 p.m., at Evergreen Washelli Cemetery Veterans Section, Seattle, WA.

Jack was the first of two children born to Earl and Nellie Hill, on March 11, 1922 in Billings, Montana. He attended schools in Billings, Forsyth and Custer MT, where he was very active on the Custer football team during high school. On February 10, 1942, Jack enlisted in to the United States Marine Corp, in Denver Colorado, and was assigned to D Company First Battalion, Sixth Marine Regiment, Second Marine Division, Fleet Marine Force. In November of 1943 right before Thanksgiving, his Battalion was sent to Betio Island, Gilbert Islands, to secure the island in order to control the Japanese airstrip in the Tarawa Atoll, enabling U.S. forces to get closer to mainland Japan.

On November 22, 1943, Jack at 21 years old, was shot and killed in action by a bloody Japanese ambush of the Island. Over 1,000 Marines lost their lives in those 3 days known as The Battle of Tarawa. The surviving Marines evacuated their injured and buried their dead in shallow graves and trenches in hopes that they would be discovered later and be sent home to their families. A fellow Marine with a bulldozer dug a large trench and buried approximately 33 Marines. That trench became known as Row D, East Division Cemetery. Among those buried in Row D was PFC Jack Earl Hill. This trench took almost eight decades to be found.

On January 4, 1944, Jack's Mother, Nellie Hill, received the Telegram that no parent wants to read, "We regret to inform you that your Son, Private First Class Jack E Hill, USMC, was killed in action in the performance of his duty and in the service of his country." It went on to tell her that due to the circumstances he had to be temporarily buried where he was killed. Over the years she wrote the Marines for updates, but they couldn't give her any.

As WWII was ending, the U.S. began the difficult task of repatriating the dead. On March 4, 1946, the Army detachment from the 604" Quartermaster Graves Registration Company arrived on Beto Island to begin recovery operations. Nearly half of the casualties still had not been found. When they concluded the search recovery May of 1946, they had not yet located Row D. In 1947, The 604* QGRC returned to Betio Island and disinterred the rest of the remains for repatriation. October 7, 1949, a military Board of Review, declared PFC Hill's remains as "non- recoverable."

In March 2019, History Flight located the burial trench identified as 'Lost Row D' and recovered 33 individuals. Remains recovered from the burial trench were turned over to the DPAA. Based on the historical details of PFC Hill's burial, as well as the identification of Row D, it was believed that PFC Hill could be associated with one of the sets of those remains. After lengthy analysis at the DPAA Laboratory, his remains were identified. On June 26, 2020, DNA samples that had been requested by the USMC in 2016 from one of Jack's Cousins in Washington State, confirmed his identity and a link to family still living. Due to the strict 2020 Covid19 restrictions, his arrival to Washington State to his final resting place was delayed one year.

PFC Hill's name will remain permanently inscribed within Court 4 of the "Courts of the Missing", National Cemetery of the Pacific, Honolulu HI. A rosette has been placed next to his name signifying that PFC Jack Earl Hill has finally been found.

Family who passed away after Jack's death includes his Parents, Earl N. Hill and Nellie Hill Speisser; his younger Sister, Betty Hill Alm who passed in 2005. Numerous Aunts, Uncles and Cousins passed away after Jack's death. His Maternal Grandparents, Frank M Lane and Ora M Smith Lane; Maternal Aunt Zoe Lane Spencer and Maternal Uncle Frank M Lane Jr., are all buried at Evergreen Washelli Cemetery in Seattle.

In 1986, Jack's Mom died without any closure of bringing her son home to be laid to rest. Aunt Nellie, we are honored to do that for you now. We are bringing Jack home to family!

Known living today on Jack's maternal side of the family, are 3 generations of Cousins, 12 of them live in Washington State:

- Cathy Bell Peterson Longview, WA; James Bell Riverside, CA; Brian Bell Spokane, WA; Laurie Bell Lombardo Monroe, WA; Glenn Bell Portland, ME

- Nicole Lombardo Hoang Shoreline, WA; Daniel Lombardo Seattle, WA; Brady Bell Wenatchee, WA; Ryan Bell Spokane, WA

- Anthony Hoang, Aubree Hoang, Aila Hoang Shoreline, WA; Meliah Bell Wenatchee, WA; and Nicolai Bell Wenatchee, WA

Jack's family wishes to thank the United States Marine Corp POW/MIA Section, Quantico, VA; The DPAA Laboratory at Hickam Air Force Base in Honolulu, Hawaii; Non-profit organization History Flight; Evergreen Washelli Funeral and Cemetery Directors; Chaplain Phillip Webster; and everyone else who helped to recover Jack's remains and get him back home to American soil and family. And a sincere heartful thank you to Sgt. Anthony Frias, who escorted Jack from Hawaii to Seattle and home to his family; and also to Gunnery Sergeant Cody Gleith and his Marine Honors Team for making the planeside delivery and the graveside service on Veterans Day a special event; and also to Sergeant Eric Ludlow of the Washington State Patrol and his team for safely returning us and PFC Jack Hill from the airport to Evergreen Washelli Funeral Home; and finally to Paul Schwimmer of History Flight who shared some wonderful comments at PFC Jack Hill's interment.

God Bless You All, and God Bless Our Fallen Heroes!

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.Evergreen-Washelli.com for the HILL family.