[note to self - these entries need correction, per email input from mon père on 22nd Feb 2011]
Lee Bruce Hill -- 1911-1978
Born Red House (Joppa), Grainger County, TN, 27 Jan 1911
Died Valrico, Hillsborough, FL 33595 (a/k/a Venice, Sarasota County, FL), Apr 1978
Completed 9th Grade, Central High School, Knox County, Fountain City (Knoxville), TN, 1926.
Moved to Kansas in 1926. Drove moving van until enlisting in the US NAVY, 1929.
Lee Bruce Hill...from Seaman to CPO (Chief Petty Officer);
his US Naval service for the period 1929-1940
his US Naval service for the period 1929-1940
BB-46 USS Maryland
- Colorado class battleship:
- Displacement: 32,600 tons (normal) / 34,946 (full load)
- Length: 624'
- Beam: 108'1"-114'
- Draft: 33'7"-34'8"
- Speed: 21 knots
- Armament: 4x2 16"/45, 8x2 5"/38, 11x4 40mm, 1x4 20mm, 29x2 20mm, 2 21" tt; 3 planes
- Complement: 2100
- Propulsion: Turbo-electric, 8 285 psi boilers, 4 shafts, 28,900 hp
- Built at Newport News and commissioned 21 July 1921
- Modernized at Puget Sound Navy Yard 30 Dec 41-26 Feb 42
Lee Bruce Hill...from CPO to CWO (Chief Warrant Officer);
his US Naval service during WWII
his US Naval service during WWII
Sub Chaser
SC 516
SC-497 Class
- Displacement: 98 tons
- Length: 110'10"
- Beam: 17'
- Draft: 6'6"
- Speed: 20 knots
- Armament: 1 3"/50, 2x2 .50-cal. mg
- Complement: 2 officers, 20 enlisted
- Diesel engines, twin screws 1,200 shaft hp
Dad served aboard SC 516 during the period 1942-1944. He held the rank of Chief Bosatswain's Mate (Chief Petty Officer). Since there were only two commissioned officers, he was third officer. The assigned area was the Caribbean, chasing German subs, until late 1942. The craft was then deployed across the Atlantic to Fedala, Morocco, arriving there 2 weeks after the beginning of Operation Torch (Nov. 1942).
SC 516 was used as protecting craft for the larger ships, and was eventually turned over to the Free French via Lend-Lease.
Dad's personnel record shows he was a plank owner and de-commissioning crew member.
Attached is photo of Lee B. Hill, BMC, Bos'n and 3d officer, SC 516, Miami, FL, October 1942.(See attached file: HILL, Lee Bruce BMC (Gold Stripe) Oct 1942.GIF)(See attached file: Hill,Lee Bruce BMC Oct42 Trinidad,BWI.gif)
Following service on SC 516, Dad returned to the USA and received his promotion to Warrant Officer by order of President F.D. Roosevelt. He was then assigned to the USS Casa Grande, then under construction:
LSD-13 USS Casa Grande
SC 516 was used as protecting craft for the larger ships, and was eventually turned over to the Free French via Lend-Lease.
Dad's personnel record shows he was a plank owner and de-commissioning crew member.
Attached is photo of Lee B. Hill, BMC, Bos'n and 3d officer, SC 516, Miami, FL, October 1942.(See attached file: HILL, Lee Bruce BMC (Gold Stripe) Oct 1942.GIF)(See attached file: Hill,Lee Bruce BMC Oct42 Trinidad,BWI.gif)
Following service on SC 516, Dad returned to the USA and received his promotion to Warrant Officer by order of President F.D. Roosevelt. He was then assigned to the USS Casa Grande, then under construction:
LSD-13 USS Casa Grande
- CasaGrande class Dock Landing Ship:
- Displacement: 4,032 tons (light), 7,930 (full)
- Length: 457''9"
- Beam: 72'
- Draft: 8'3" forward, 10'1" aft (light); 15'6" aft, 16'2" aft (loaded)
- Speed: 17 knots max, 15 knots cruising
- Armament: 1 5"/38 DP, 2x2 40mm, 2x4 40mm, 16 20mm
- Complement: 17 officers, 237 enlisted
- Capacity: 92 LVT, 108 DUKW
- Steam turbine engines, twin screws
- Built at Newport News and commissioned 5 June 1944
Casa Grande (LSD-13) was launched 11 April 1944 by Newport News Shipbuilding and Drydock Co., Newport News, Va.; sponsored by Mrs. G. Delapalme, and commissioned 5 June 1944, Lieutenant Commander F. E. Strumm, USNR, in command.
Sailing from Hampton Roads 19 July 1944, Casa Grande was delayed at Balboa, C.Z. for repairs en route to Pea. l Harbor, where she arrived 21 August. Here she offloaded landing craft brought from the east coast and loaded men and equipment for the invasion of Yap. However, upon her arrival at Eniwetok 25 September she was ordered to Manus to prepare for the Leyte operation. Assigned to the Southern Attack Force, she entered Leyte Gulf uneventfully, and took part in the initial assault on 20 October. Her men worked at fever pace under enemy air attack as they launched their landing craft and serviced other small craft engaged in this triumphant return to the Philippines, and on 22 October, she withdrew for Hollandia. During the next month, she made two voyages from New Guinea to Leyte, ferrying reinforcements, and evacuating casualties.
December 1944 found Casa Grande preparing for the second of the massive operations in the Philippines, and on 31 December she sailed in TF 79's Attack Group "Baker" for Lingayen Gulf. First enemy contact came at sunset on 8 January 1945, as a small but determined group of kamikazes attacked. One of these broke through to damage Kitkun Bay (CVE-71) severely, but Casa Grande came through unscathed, and joined in driving away the scattered individual enemy aircraft which pushed the attack onward.
Although sporadic attacks by Japanese aircraft and small ships tried to disrupt the landings, the long months of detailed planning bore fruit as Casa Grande and the others of her group carried out their landing assignments smoothly on 9 January 1945. She continued to operate in support of the invasion, plying between Lingayen, Leyte, and Morotai until 30 January. Casa Grande next cruised among the Solomons to load Marines, landing craft, and tanks for the invasion of Okinawa. She took departure from Ulithi 26 March, and arrived off Okinawa at dawn of 1 April. Landing equipment and troops under the first of the kamikaze attacks which were to bathe the Okinawan operation in blood, she moved to Kerama Retto 4 April to operate a small boat repair shop there until 3 June, when she sailed for a minor overhaul at Leyte.
Through July 1945, Casa Grande sailed between ports of the South Pacific and Philippines transporting men and landing craft, and on 23 July she sailed for drydocking at San Francisco.
Between 12 September 1945, when she returned to Honolulu, and 20 April 1946, when she docked at San Francisco, Casa Grande supported occupation and redeployment operations in the western Pacific. She ferried landing craft and motor torpedo boat squadrons, calling at ports in the South Pacific, China, Japan, Korea, Okinawa, the Philippines. and Alaska. On 14 May 1946; she left San Francisco for Norfolk, Va. where she was decommissioned and placed in reserve 23 October 1946.
Dad was aboard for both commissioning (5 Jun 1944) and decommissioning (23 Oct 1946)
Lee Bruce Hill, CHBOSN (CWO-3) Naval career...1946-1958
1946 Norfolk, VA
Decommissioned USS Casa Grande (LSD-13). He was one of few who were both "Plank Owners" and were still assigned to the ship at its decommissioning. His wife, Thelma Eldridge Hill, was one of two officer's wives who was aboard at both ceremonies as well.
1946-1947 Solomons, MD
Was AOIC (Assistant Officer-in-Charge or XO), then OIC (Officer-in-Charge or CO) of the US Navy Base, ODC (Operational Development Center). He was the de-commissioning officer of this base. His step-son, Richard Lee Hill, was present with Lee B. Hill at the ceremony when the National Colors (US Flag) was/were hauled-down for the last time.
1947-1948 Washington, D.C.
AOIC, US Naval Facilities, Quarters "I" and "K". Quarters "I" was the domicile for the Bachelor Male Personnel assigned to the Pentagon. Quarters "K" served the same fucnction for Bachelor Male Personnel assigned to the various US Navy Facilities in Washington itself. Those who lived in these Quarters ranged in rank from Seaman through Rear Admiral.
1948-1953 Boston, MA and Newport, RI (home ports)
Ship's BOSN, USS Worcester (CL144).
The Worcester was twice (?) deployed to the Med in the period 1949-1950. While on her second deployment, she was ordered to the waters off Korea following the outbreak of the Korean Conflict. She was one of the prime bombarding ships at the Inchon Landing by Gen. McArthur's Command . In conjuction with the assignment, the Worcester set records for "most rounds fired" and "longest steaming without refueling". She was also in one other battle while assigneed to the Koean area. (More on that later).
The second campaign/battle in which the Worcester was involved was the Wonsan Landing on the east coast of Korea.
The Worcester returned from Korea by crossing the Pacific, thence to the Atlantic. In so doing , she completed a round-the-world-cruise. This was also LB Hill's only round-the-world-cruise in his 29 year Naval career. He continued to serve on the Worcester until being transferred to shore duty.
1953-1955/56 (?) Orange, TX
U.S. Naval Base
OIC, decommissioned ships*, (not his exact title, but this was his responsibility).
*This base had ships in "mothballs", which constituted a portion of the US Navy's Reserve Fleet of that era.
1956-1958 Norfolk, VA (home port)
Ship's BOSN, USS Tidewater and USS Oglethorpe, both AKA ships.
Lee Bruce Hill, CHBOSN (CWO-3), USN, was Ship's BOSN, circa 1956-58.
USS Oglethorpe
AKA 100
Ship's characteristics:
Decommissioned USS Casa Grande (LSD-13). He was one of few who were both "Plank Owners" and were still assigned to the ship at its decommissioning. His wife, Thelma Eldridge Hill, was one of two officer's wives who was aboard at both ceremonies as well.
1946-1947 Solomons, MD
Was AOIC (Assistant Officer-in-Charge or XO), then OIC (Officer-in-Charge or CO) of the US Navy Base, ODC (Operational Development Center). He was the de-commissioning officer of this base. His step-son, Richard Lee Hill, was present with Lee B. Hill at the ceremony when the National Colors (US Flag) was/were hauled-down for the last time.
1947-1948 Washington, D.C.
AOIC, US Naval Facilities, Quarters "I" and "K". Quarters "I" was the domicile for the Bachelor Male Personnel assigned to the Pentagon. Quarters "K" served the same fucnction for Bachelor Male Personnel assigned to the various US Navy Facilities in Washington itself. Those who lived in these Quarters ranged in rank from Seaman through Rear Admiral.
1948-1953 Boston, MA and Newport, RI (home ports)
Ship's BOSN, USS Worcester (CL144).
The Worcester was twice (?) deployed to the Med in the period 1949-1950. While on her second deployment, she was ordered to the waters off Korea following the outbreak of the Korean Conflict. She was one of the prime bombarding ships at the Inchon Landing by Gen. McArthur's Command . In conjuction with the assignment, the Worcester set records for "most rounds fired" and "longest steaming without refueling". She was also in one other battle while assigneed to the Koean area. (More on that later).
The second campaign/battle in which the Worcester was involved was the Wonsan Landing on the east coast of Korea.
The Worcester returned from Korea by crossing the Pacific, thence to the Atlantic. In so doing , she completed a round-the-world-cruise. This was also LB Hill's only round-the-world-cruise in his 29 year Naval career. He continued to serve on the Worcester until being transferred to shore duty.
1953-1955/56 (?) Orange, TX
U.S. Naval Base
OIC, decommissioned ships*, (not his exact title, but this was his responsibility).
*This base had ships in "mothballs", which constituted a portion of the US Navy's Reserve Fleet of that era.
1956-1958 Norfolk, VA (home port)
Ship's BOSN, USS Tidewater and USS Oglethorpe, both AKA ships.
Lee Bruce Hill, CHBOSN (CWO-3), USN, was Ship's BOSN, circa 1956-58.
USS Oglethorpe
AKA 100
Ship's characteristics:
- dp 14,200 tons
- 1.459',2"; b. 63'; dr. 26'4"; s. 16.5 k; cpl. 425
- a. 5" .38, 8 40 mm
- cl Andromeda
- T. C2-S-B1
In 1956, the Oglethorpe was dispatched on a "classified" mission to the Mediterranean as an experimental "maritime Pre-positioned Shop" for rapid deployment. Partly modified, she carried ammunition, fuel, guns, vehicles and supplies and cruised the Mediterranean independently for 5 months under the direct operational control of CNO. Her ultimate destination was to land on the Island of Cyprus, combat load her cargo to support elements of the 82nd Airborne out of Europe.
In July 1958, the Oglethorpe was part of the fleet that transported the Marines to Lebanon.
(See attached file: Hill, Lee Bruce CHBOSN 1950's.gif)
1958 Norfolk, VA
Retired from U.S. Navy after 29 years active service. In his career, he was successively promoted from Seaman Apprentice (Recruit) to Chief Warrant Officer. He was promoted to CPO (Chief Petty Officer) in ~11 years (1929-1940), an unusually short time for those promotions "between the wars". ============================================================================
During his career, he served in the Pacific Ocean, the Atlantic, the Caribbean Sea, the Mediterranean Sea, the Indian Ocean, the China Sea,the Red Sea and others.
He served in two wars, WWII and the Korean "Conflict", as well as the Suez Crisis of 1956 and the Lebanon Crisis of 1958.
He was stationed aboard the USS Maryland in Pearl Harbor, T.H., as early as 1932, when he saw the disguised "high-powered Japanese fishing boats...." (aka "spy boats") *. A scant 9 years later was 7 Dec 1941, the "day that shall live in infamy....FDR". Thankfully, he had been transferred off the USS Maryland in 1940.
* Conversation, LB Hill, with RL Hill.
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