World War II Honoree

Oscar Jennings Hill

Branch of Service

U.S. Coast Guard

Hometown

Salisbury, North Carolina

Honored By

Debra Hill

Relationship

Daughter

SERVED FOR 3 YEARS WITH THE U.S. COAST GUARD DURING WWII. SERVICE BEGAN IN 1943. A RADAR OPERATOR ON THE USS LANSING, WHICH SERVED AS A CONVOY GUARD FOR TROOP SHIPS IN TRANSIT TO NORTH AFRICA. CROSSED THE ATLANTIC 3 TIMES ON THE LANSING SUPPORTING CONVOYS. THEN SPENT 1 YEAR AT THE U.S. COAST GUARD ACADEMY. HE SUBSEQUENTLY TRAVELLED ACROSS THE U.S. ON A TROOP TRAIN BOUND FOR SAN DIEGO. HE THEN BOARDED A TROOP SHIP BOUND FOR OKINAWA BY WAY OF HAWAII. HE WAS ASSIGNED TO THE COAST GUARD CUTTER BALSAM FOR THE NEXT 6-8 MONTHS AND EVENTUALLY CROSSED THE PACIFIC ON THE BALSAM BOUND FOR SAN FRANCISCO.