[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 140 (Monday, November 17, 2014)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1600]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  HONORING THE LIFE OF ARTHUR J. HILL

                                 ______
                                 

                             HON. JIM COSTA

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Monday, November 17, 2014

  Mr. COSTA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of my friend 
Arthur J. Hill, who passed away on November 4, 2014 at the age of 99. 
Arthur was a successful businessman, war hero, and community volunteer 
who made his community and country a better place through his 
dedication to his service.
  Arthur was born in Coos Bay, Oregon where he attended local schools, 
and then continued on to study engineering at the University of Oregon. 
Shortly after the attack on Pearl Harbor, at the age of 27 he 
volunteered for the U.S. Army and was assigned to the 146th Engineers 
Battalion as the Headquarters Company Commander, which is a position 
that he kept until the end of the Second World War when he retired with 
the rank of Captain.
  During his campaign in World War II, Arthur worked tirelessly for the 
U.S. Army. Arthur's battalion built and operated an assault training 
center consisting of exact duplications of German fortifications, which 
was replicated from secret aerial reconnaissance photos of the Normandy 
landing beaches. He also participated in four additional European 
Campaigns in Northern France, Ardennes and Alsace, the Rhineland, and 
Central Europe.
  In recognition of his efforts in training 65 civil engineers to 
assist in the reconstruction of the town of Pilsen, Czechoslovakia, the 
Czech Government awarded Arthur the Czech Military Medal. He was also 
awarded the Czech Presidential Medal on the 50th anniversary of the 
liberation of Czechoslovakia, and was chosen as the recipient of the 
first annual ``Hero of the Valley Award,'' which is given to a 
distinguished military veteran in the San Joaquin Valley.
  Upon returning home from serving our country, Art met and married his 
wife, Betty Jane ``BJ''; the couple enjoyed over 50 years of happy 
marriage until she passed away in 1998. After the war, Arthur went on 
to work in the oil industry until 1980, when he retired as president of 
Hill Oil Company. He then worked at the Veterans Memorial Museum from 
1992 until 2011 where he served as Director for ten years. The Veterans 
Memorial Museum is considered by many to be one of the finest military 
museums in the country. Art was also a member of the Fresno Rotary Club 
for over 50 years and was Commander of the American Legion in Fresno.
  Arthur loved to spend time with veterans, and cared for them so much 
that in 2010, he established the ``Veterans of the Central Valley 
Fund'' at the Fresno Regional Foundation. This fund supports the 
Veterans Memorial Museum and other projects benefitting veterans. Apart 
from serving the community, Arthur and his wife Betty Jane loved to 
spend their time traveling the world. Arthur is survived by his son 
Brad and his wife Audrey, and their daughter Carly and her husband 
Keith Berry.

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