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<em>Frank Allen Hill III</em> was born in Warwick, RI. He grew up in a close family, being very active in his church and school activities. He was particularly active in sports—especially track—debate, and student government.</p>
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Frank’s spirit and imagination were very much captured in the "Camelot" years of John F. Kennedy and the Green Berets.</p>
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He sought an appointment to West Point, where he continued his interests in track, debate, Student Council for United States Affairs, and the Cardinal Newman Forum. He took his academics in stride, staying comfortably in the middle of his class.</p>
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He sought a commission in the Infantry, and upon graduation from Ranger School and the Infantry Officers Basic Course, served as a platoon leader in the 1st Battalion, 21st Infantry, in the 24th Infantry Division in Munich, Germany.</p>
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When GEN Westmoreland returned to visit the Corps while Frank was a cadet, he inspected during a Saturday morning parade in Central Area and addressed the Corps in the Mess Hall, stating, "March to the sounds of drums, gentlemen."</p>
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Frank did that, serving in Viet Nam as a company commander and, later, as a battalion intelligence officer in the 3rd Battalion, 1st Infantry, 11th Infantry Brigade of the Americal Division. He discussed his experience over cokes on a hot afternoon in Quang Ngai with our classmate, Jim Stewart. Shortly thereafter, on 3 Aug 1969, just a few days after this picture was taken, he conducted an intelligence mission with one of the battalion’s companies. The unit came under intense enemy fire. An American soldier and Frank’s Kit Carson Scout were with him near the head of the attack and seriously wounded. Being the man he was (the <em>1967 Howitzer</em> described him as one who seldom took himself seriously, but always took life seriously and lived by the Golden Rule), in total disregard for his own safety, Frank returned fire, twice moving forward to drag his wounded comrades to safety and administer lifesaving first aid to them. In doing so, he was hit by several rounds of enemy fire, succumbing to his wounds.</p>
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Some of his friends and classmates felt that if Frank had not become a soldier, he would have become a priest. But he chose to be a soldier, making the ultimate sacrifice on the altar of freedom, receiving the Silver Star for his heroism and the Purple Heart.</p>
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<em>Smitty and Wy A-4 '67</em></p>