World War II Honoree
Civilian on the Home Front
Joseph Arnold Hill
Hometown
Wilmington, North Carolina
Honored By
Susan Hill Sharpe
Relationship
Sister
SERVED AS AN ELECTRICAL ENGINEER. EMPLOYED IN STRATEGIC POSITION DURING WAR YEARS WITH ETHYL-DOW CHEMICAL COMPANY, KURE'S BEACH, LOCATED SOUTH OF CAROLINA BEACH, NORTH CAROLINA. ETHYL-DOW CHEMICAL COMPANY WAS VITAL IN WAR EFFORT AND THE ONLY PLANT ON THE EAST COAST MANUFACTURING ETHYLENE BROMIDE, HIGH-OCTANE ADDITIVE FOR MILITARY AVIATION GASOLINE. IT WAS A HIGHLY CLASSIFIED OPERATION. GERMAN U-BOATS PATROLLING ALONG THE COAST SHELLED THE PLANT SEVERAL TIMES, MISSING THEIR MARK.