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- [S24] The Newport Plain Talk, (http://www.newportplaintalk.com), 24 Jun 2007.
Jimmie's not over the hill
(c)2007 NPT PHOTO BY DAVID POPIEL Veteran Jimmy Frank Hill served the nation well for two decades after World War II in the Air Force. He has been retired since 1984.
By: DAVID POPIEL
Source: The Newport Plain Talk
06-24-2007
Summer oozed in on the back of a bristling drought causing a lot of crying among cattle in our hometown, wondering when the next rumbling rainstorm would arrive. Some people call him an agitator. You may call him Jimmie Frank. I call him a patriot-a veteran who served in the military, the years spanning World War II's end, through the Korean War, and to the Vietnam War. He doesn't boast or brag about his service and you can read about it in the Plain Talk's Freedom's Heroes book on page 79. He looks like a boy in the 1946 photo and he was. Last week Jimmie Hill, of Carson Springs, dropped by the office to chat. He had seen the B-17 photos and feature we published and knew some former officers associated with the public presentation of the aircraft. He had served about 20 years in the Air Force before being disabled. Jimmie doesn't recall much about his father, Frank, because he died when Jimmie was six. He was born near Jaybird. His mother was the former Beulah Inman and his brother is Johnny Hill. You recall I visited older brother Johnny's barbershop next to his home off Lincoln Avenue a couple years ago. They also have three half-siblings: Gene and Joe Holt were both murder victims; and Jerry Holt, who lives in Knoxville. One of the questions he had for us concerned an organization he heard of through the Plain Talk-Underage military service people. He explained that he has two birthdates-his military one of March 18, 1928 and his real birthdate of July 26, 1931. The reason was his desire to join the military when he was 14. When he signed up for the draft 1946, Mrs. Guy Freshour at the draft board knew he was too young. But no one challenged this. He was in the Army only three days when he enlisted and was accepted into the Air Force, and that began a most interesting career-that was April 1946 and he served until 1968. He would have gone 30 years but he was working on a tanker aircraft in Thule, Greenland, and fell off the wing. This seriously injured his back and put him out of active duty some years later. His first stint in 1946 was Japan, at Tokyo bay, where he helped maintain aircraft-his military career work and vital to the nation's war efforts. I asked him what the Japanese were saying after the atomic bombing of two cities in 1945. He said every time they saw a B-29, it was frightening and they referred to the bombers as devils. Most of the B-29s were with the 509th Wing and attacked Japan from Midway and Guam. Japan was a year-plus service and he returned serving at McDill AFB in Tampa and later worked as a P-51 Mustang specialist and crew chief in Orlando. During the cold war era, I was old enough to remember the WW II aircraft both a Homestead and Opalocka AFBs-especially the rare sight of seeing a B-36, six-engine monster bombers that used push-prop mounted engines instead of the conventional front-of-wing mounted engines. When Jimmie was stationed at Roswell AFB in New Mexico, a wing of 32 B-36s were there and he had the chance to fly in them. Had he ever seen any aliens? You know that Roswell is famous for its alleged cover up of alien spacecraft crashes and its top-secret area. Jimmie said he never saw any flying saucers or aliens. Had he gotten to travel much? Yes, more than 2,000 hours on large aircraft such as the Constellation 121, DC-7, and large cargo crafts such as the C-130s and C-97s. My brother, Bob, did maintenance work in the 1950s on the commercial Super Constellations built by Lockheed. After military service, he went to Red Springs, NC and manned a natural a pumping station. He then joined Lockheed in Marietta, Georgia for three years until the aircraft plant cut its jobs back from 33,000 in the 1970s. For years he did heat and air repairs and installation in the Atlanta area, Alabama, and finally in Miami, Florida until fully retiring in 1984. He returned to Newport where he met and married Lucille Nabors, the daughter of Grady Dennis-whose house still stands off the old Cosby Hwy. just down from where I live at Lower English Creek. Her Mom was the former Alma Proffitt. Lucille worked as a dental assistant to the late Dr. Hobart Ford Sr. from about 1942 to 1972, then worked in Knox until she retired. I learned that her late husband, E. E. Nabors was commercial pilot when his twin-engine Cessna disappeared over the Great Lakes Triangle in 1966. Today, Jimmie at 77 is in good health-and I don't know how since he still smokes. He carries memberships in the DAV, VFW as a life member. He earned many military honors including the Japan Occupation Medal, Vietnam Service Medal, and WW II Victory Medal. Jimmie and Lucille live at Carson Springs. His neighbor is Maxine Carrell-and Hoyt Staton lives just across the road. Jimmie does like to fish and loaf but mostly he loves to agitate the government-after all, as a man who served his nation well through wars, the Cold War, and worked all his life paying taxes, he's earned it. In plain talk, few people have had the opportunity of World War II era citizens to see the world and help mold it for future generations.
- [S113] Manes Funeral Home, (http://www.manesfuneralhome.com), 29 Apr 2010.
(March 18, 1929 - April 29, 2010)
U.S. Veteran Jimmie Frank Hill, age 82, of Newport, passed away Thursday, April 29, 2010 at his home. He was a retired veteran of the United States Air Force having served during WWII, Korea and Vietnam. He is survived by his wife, Lucille Nabors Hill, of Newport; stepdaughter, Linda Nabors of Crossville, grandson, Mark Nabors, of Gainesville, GA. Graveside services will be held 1:00 pm Monday, May 3, 2010 in Mountain Home National Cemetery, with full military honors. Chaplin Eddie Young will officiate. The family and friends may sign the guest register on line at: www.manesfuneralhome.com.
Manes Funeral Home in charge.
- [S113] Manes Funeral Home, (http://www.manesfuneralhome.com), 30 Apr 2010.
(March 18, 1919 - April 30, 2010)
Jimmie Frank Hill, age 82, of Newport, passed away Thursday, April 29, 2010 at his home. He was a retired veteran of the United States Air Force having served during WWII, Korea and Vietnam. He is survived by his wife, Lucille Nabors Hill, of Newport; stepdaughter, Linda Nabors of Crossville, grandson, Mark Nabors, of Gainesville, GA. Graveside services will be held 1:00 pm Monday, May 3, 2010 in Mountain Home National Cemetery, with full military honors. Chaplin Eddie Young will officiate. The family and friends may sign the guest register on line at: www.manesfuneralhome.com.
Manes Funeral Home in charge.
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