[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 109 (Thursday, September 7, 2006)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1669]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              TRIBUTE TO SERGEANT FIRST CLASS MELVIN HILL

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. JAMES P. MORAN

                              of virginia

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, September 7, 2006

  Mr. MORAN of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, today I take the time to honor a 
distinguished veteran from the Commonwealth of Virginia, SFC Melvin 
Hill. A true patriot for his heroic service to our country, Hill was 
born on March 26, 1939 in Brooklyn. In 1955 he enlisted in the U.S. 
Army and was assigned to the 18th Regimental Combat Team (Airborne) at 
Fort Campbell, Kentucky. There he was selected to be an instructor at 
the Airborne School. He was later assigned to Germany, where he was 
responsible for conducting convoys from Helmstdat, Germany to insure 
U.S. access to Berlin. On each tour of duty, he also served as a guard 
at Spandau Prison, which at that time housed Rudolph Hess, Albert 
Speer, and Baldur von Schirach. In 1964 Hill was accepted for Special 
Forces training and assignment at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. After 
completing this training, he was assigned to the Military Advisory 
Command in Vietnam.
  It was in this capacity that Sergeant Hill was awarded a Silver Star 
on January 18, 1971 for his fearless actions while serving as Leader of 
a Combined Reconnaissance Team in November of 1970. In this role, 
Sergeant Hill courageously led his team from the tailgate of a C-130 
aircraft at an altitude of 17,000 feet on the first combat high 
altitude free fall into hostile territory in the history of the United 
States Army. His team landed in rugged and dangerous terrain in enemy 
territory where, despite equipment malfunctions, Sergeant Hill refused 
to abandon his team. They remained behind enemy lines in the harshest 
conditions for 5 days where, led by Sergeant Hill, the team gathered 
sufficient hard intelligence to mark the mission a success. When his 
transmit voice radio malfunctioned, Sergeant Hill used another device 
to transmit instructions to his team via Morse code and in this manner 
triangulated multiple targets for the Air Force. During the extraction 
from enemy territory, Sergeant Hill was wounded by a bullet to the leg, 
but due to his courage and leadership, his team was recovered with no 
losses and no other injuries.
  After leading this successful mission, Hill extended his tour of duty 
to teach high altitude Military Free Fall techniques to other 
Reconnaissance teams. After retirement from the military, Hill 
continued to serve his country through a position in the U.S. General 
Services Administration in Washington, D.C., where he worked for 14 
years and was recognized for his innovative approach to Contract 
Support, winning the Administrator's Meritorious Service Award and a 
citation from the Governor of Maryland.
  Mr. Speaker, I am grateful today to recognize the achievements of SFC 
Melvin Hill that are so long overdue. His leadership and courage in 
combat during our nation's time of war require our sincere 
appreciation. I wish him the best in his future endeavors.

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