Marine Corps Vietnam Tankers Historical Foundation©

Marine Corps Vietnam-era Tankers and Ontosmen Have Made History. 

Your Historical Foundation is Making it Known.

Sergeant John M. Hill  US MARINE CORPS

For service as set forth in the following:

The President of the United States of America takes pride in presenting the Silver Star (Posthumously) to Sergeant John M. Hill, United States Marine Corps, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action while serving as a Tank Commander with Company B, First Tank Battalion, FIRST Marine Division in connection with combat operations against the enemy in the Republic of Vietnam. On 22 August 1969, Sergeant Hill's unit was occupying a night defensive position on Go Noi Island in support of Company M, Third Battalion, First Marines when the Marines came under a vicious ground attack by a North Vietnamese Army company supported by rocket-propelled grenade and mortar fire. From his vantage point in the turret of the tank, Sergeant Hill sighted the advancing enemy and commenced delivering accurate machine gun fire against the soldiers and alerted his tank crew and the infantrymen of the impending ground assault. Having diverted the attention of the North Vietnamese Army unit by his action, he quickly became a vulnerable target for hostile fire, and a rocket-propelled grenade delivered from a near position wounded two of his crewmen who were mounting the vehicle. With complete disregard for his own safety, Sergeant Hill steadfastly remained in an exposed position and continued to fire at the enemy until another rocket propelled grenade impacted beside his tracked vehicle. Concerned for the safety of his injured men lying exposed to enemy fire on the top of the tank, he stood up and, again disregarding his own safety moved his tow comrades to a position of relative safety to the rear of the tank. Upon resuming his dangerously exposed position in the turret, he was mortally wounded as he continued to deliver a heavy volume of machine gun fire at the determined North Vietnamese Army force, preventing a penetration of his sector of the defensive perimeter. His heroic and determined actions inspired all who observed him and saved the lives of tow fellow Marines. By his courage, aggressive initiative and selfless devotion to duty, Sergeant Hill contributed significantly to the accomplishment of his unit's mission and upheld the highest traditions of the Marine Corps and of the United States Naval Service. He gallantly gave his life in the service of his country.