lest we forget

HILL, IRVIN HUGH

Rank / Branch:

LANCE CORPORAL, US MARINE CORP

Date Of Birth:

1947-05-02

Country Of Loss:

SOUTH VIETNAM

Status:

HOSTILE, FRAGMENT WOUNDS

Aircraft/Vehicle/Ground:

GROUND

Other:

NOT MARRIED

Unit:

3RD MARINE DIVISION

Date Of Loss:

1969-01-14

Loss Coordinates:

QUANG NAM

Catagory:

BODY RETURED

Awards & Decorations:

SEE BIO

VETERAN HAGI0GRAPHY

HILL, HUGH IRVIN, U.S. MARINE CORP, SEAGRAVES, GAINES COUNTY, TEXAS

AWARDS AND DECORATIONS

PURPLE HEART WITH GOLD STAR (2 AWARDS), NATIONAL DEFENSE SERVICE MEDAL, VIETNAM SERVICE MEDAL, VIETNAM MILITARY MERIT MEDAL, VIETNAM CROSS OF GALLANTRY WITH PALM, VIETNAM CAMPAIGN MEDAL, MARINE CORP COMBAT ACTION RIBBON

BIOGRAPHY

Irvin Hugh Hill was born in Seagraves, Texas, and the younger of two children to Erma Jo Oliver and L.M. "Mack" Hill. He was a lifetime resident of Seagraves and attended Seagraves schools. His friends knew him as "Butch". While at Seagraves High School, he was very active in school activities, he was in the band, played football and was a three-year letterman; played freshman basketball and was a member of the Student Council, he was vice president of his junior class and was involved in FFA activities. He was Vice President of the FFA his senior year and was involved in the UIL Districts and Regional Meets. He was a 1965 graduate of Seagraves High School.
After high school graduation, he attended Texas Tech College, now Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Texas for two years. He enlisted in the United States Marine Corp in February 1968 with the thought of completing his military obligation and returning to college to finish his degree. He completed boot camp at the Marine Corp Recruit Depot at San Diego, California and Infantry ITR at Camp Pendleton, California. After completing his training, he received a two-week leave before beginning his tour in Vietnam.
He began his tour on July 22, 1968 and was assigned as a rifleman with Company C, 1st Battalion, 5th Marines, 3rd Marine Division. He was killed when he set off a booby trap on January 14, 1969, while on patrol in the Quang Nam province.
His funeral was held in the Seagraves High School Auditorium on January 29, 1969, and there was standing room only. He was buried with full military honors in the Gaines North Cemetery in Seagraves, Texas. He was the town's only Vietnam casualty.
His parents of the home and his older sister, Carolyn, survived him. His father passed away on November 16, 1980, and his mother March 21, 2003, and they both rest next to him.