World War II Honoree

Daniel E. Hillman

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Pennsylvania

Honored By

Friends of American Heroes

DEPUTY GROUP COMMANDER OF THE 365TH FIGHTER GROUP, 9TH AIR FORCE WHEN HE WAS SHOT DOWN ON OCTOBER 7, 1944, NEAR COLOGNE, GERMANY. FLYING A P-47 THUNDERBOLT, HE WAS CHASING A GERMAN PLANE THAT ATTEMPTED TO LAND AT A CAMOUFLAGED LANDING STRIP. HE SOON CAME UNDER INTENSE ANTI-AIRCRAFT FIRE AND AS HE TRIED TO GAIN ALTITUDE HE BEGAN TO SMELL SMOKE BUT DID NOT KNOW THAT HIS PLANE WAS HIT. SOON AFTER DIRECTING HIS SQUADRON TO CONTINUE THE MISSION, FIRE BROKE OUT ABOARD HIS AIRCRAFT AND HE SAFELY BAILED OUT BUT WAS SOON SURROUNDED AND THREATENED BY ANGRY GERMAN FARMERS. THE CREW OF A NEARBY GERMAN ANTI-CRAFT BATTERY SAVED HIS LIFE FROM THE ANGRY FARMERS AND TOOK HIM PRISONER.