Hill was born in
Oakland,
California on 7 April 1890. He entered the
United States Naval Academy in 1907 won an Annapolis by competitive examination, graduating in June 1911. While attending the Academy Hill played on the basketball and lacrosse teams. was attached to the War Plans Division until January 1942.
World War II Ordered to sea, Hill assumed command of the
heavy cruiser , which operated for several months on
convoy duty with the
British Home Fleet to the North
Russian port of
Murmansk. Hill escorted a convoy that was reported on by
Douglas Fairbanks, Jr. In response to
4th of July greetings from the British Convoy Commander, from the bridge of the British cruiser , "Many happy returns of the day. The United States is the only country with a known birthday", Hill replied "Thank you. I think England should celebrate Mother's Day." Detached from command of
Wichita on 28 September 1942, he reported as Commander Battleship Division Four, ,
flagship, serving a year in the
South Pacific. He was also commander of a
task force, which was the first to comprise battleships and
escort carriers. In September 1943 he became Commander Amphibious Group Two,
Fifth Amphibious Force, and in that capacity participated in the
capture of Tarawa, and later in operations against the
Gilberts,
Marshalls,
Marianas,
Iwo Jima, and
Okinawa. He relieved the Commander Fifth Amphibious Force at Okinawa in April 1945, and commanded the amphibious and support operations of that force until
that island was secured at the end of June.
Post-war At the close of the war in August 1945, he commanded the Amphibious Force which landed the
Sixth Army in Southwestern
Japan for occupation duty. On 1 November 1945 he assumed duty as Commandant
Army-Navy Staff College, and in June 1946
Vice Admiral Hill established and served as Commandant of the
National War College, the highest-level educational institution of the
Armed Forces and the
State Department. In September 1949 he reported as Chairman of the
General Board,
Navy Department, and on 28 April 1950 became
Superintendent of the Naval Academy and Commandant,
Severn River Naval Command. He continued to serve as such after his retirement on 1 May 1952, until August 1952. Admiral Hill continued to serve on active duty from 21 October 1952 until 21 May 1954 as Governor of the
Naval Home,
Philadelphia. Admiral Harry Wilbur Hill died of cancer in Annapolis, Maryland on July 19, 1971. ==Namesake==