Hill enlistment in the Navy Reserve for the United States on August 25, 1943. He was not enlisted from the selective service, but instead was a voluntary enlistment. His induction was at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. At the time of this death, his rank was Coxswain.  A Coxswain is the primary boat operator, an enlisted sailor who has physical control of an open boat, the steersman of a ship's boat, that is small enough to be carried aboard another vessel. In the U.S. Navy, coxswains play a vital role in the Navy's Special Warfare community. 

Hill went Missing in Action (MIA) on June 19, 1944 and presumed dead about a year later on June 20, 1945. His place of internment is at the Tablets of the Missing in Normandy, France.

Hill was on the LST-523 that was assigned to the European theater and participated in the evasion of Normandy in June 1944. It struck an enemy mine and almost immediately began to sink.

This is a veteran U.S. compensation application file, that is used in case of death in service, death after honorable discharge, or of mentally incapacitated veteran. Hill's parents filled this application out.

This is a photo of the U.S. Navy Causalities book for World War II.