Dudley Lawrence Hill, the 12th volunteer of the Escadrille Americaine, was the son of Edward Finch Hill, founder of the Union Stove Works, and Jessee (Dyckman) Hill. Dudley played football at Oakside High School and later again at the Peekskill Military Academy before graduating on 9 Jun 1914.
That Fall semester, Hill entered the Mechanical Engineering School at Cornell University, but he transferred to New York University in February of 1915 to take advantage of a special chemistry course offered there. He stayed only one month, for he told his friends he had to take part in some capacity in the European War. Before the end of March, Dudley set sail for France on La Touraine.
He served initially with the American Ambulance Service. He requested and in August 1915 was granted permission to join the French Service Aeronautique. From 25 Sep 1915 to 2 May 1916 he attended the aviation schools a Pau, Chateauroux, and at the G.D.E. On 17 Mar 1916 he received his Brevet D'Aviateur Militaire No. 2999 in the Caudron. Following aviation school he served briefly as an instructor and tester of aircraft.
Hill's service with N.124 began officially on 6 Jun 1916 and continued through 18 Feb 1918 when Escadrille SPA.124 was incorporated into the U.S. Air Service as the U.S. 103rd Aero Pursuit Squadron. His nickname, "Dud," concealed an aggressive spirit.
Self-effacing by nature, Hill was never one to draw attention to himself. As one of his comrades noted, "Monosyllabic Dud has a long and enviable record of service which he never mentions, but he is always generous in his praise of the records at the Front of other men."
On 8 Oct 1917, Hill was awarded France's Croix de Guerre, avec 'etoile (with Star). His citation reads: "American citizen engaged for the duration of the war. A good fighter pilot, dedicated to his duties. He participated in a number of engagements, particularly the last attack of Verdun with no consideration for his own safety. He showed everyone the best examples of bravery, spirit, and hardiness. He particularly distinguished himself on the 18th of August while protecting a mission in which his plane was seriously damaged."
On 17 Nov 1917, Adjudant Dudley Hill was made a Captain in the Signal Corps of the U.S. Air Service. On 18 Feb 1918, Captain Hill was assigned to the U.S. 103rd Aero Pursuit Squadron and flew combat missions until 1 Jun 1918. He then flew for two months with the U.S. 139th Aero Pursuit Squadron. He commanded the U.S. 138th Aero Pursuit Squadron from 1 Aug to 1 Nov 1918. From that date until 1 Dec 1918, he was Commanding Officer of the 5th Pursuit Group.
On 21 Mar 1919, Captain Dudley Hill became one of only six Lafayette Escadrille pilots to be authorized by Field Marshal Petain to wear the French fourragere in the colors of the Croix de Guerre for having served both with N.124 and the U.S. 103rd Aero Squadron when the squadron had received two citations in l'Ordre de l'Armee. In that same month of March, Hill was discharged from the U.S. Air Service.
Dudley Hill's nearly 28 months of numerous air sorties in the worst of conditions must have caused him to despise flying, for he never again took the controls of an airplane. He never discussed, even with his closest of family, the bad times of his war experience. He chose only to mention the good memories, the humorous events, or those episodes which highlighted the unique qualities of his comrades.
On 28 Jan 1925, a grateful France awarded Hill the Cross of Knight (Chevalier) de Legion d'Honneur for his "splendid services during the War." He married Evaline Craven in Norfolk, Virginia in 1941. They had a son, MacDonough, in 1942. On 30 Jun 1951, Dudley Hill died of a heart attack at age 57 at his Peekskill home.
[Source: "The Lafayette Flying Corps: The American Volunteers in the French Air Service in World War One," by Dennis Gordon. Schiffer Military History, Atglen, PA: 2000. Pages 231-234.]
That Fall semester, Hill entered the Mechanical Engineering School at Cornell University, but he transferred to New York University in February of 1915 to take advantage of a special chemistry course offered there. He stayed only one month, for he told his friends he had to take part in some capacity in the European War. Before the end of March, Dudley set sail for France on La Touraine.
He served initially with the American Ambulance Service. He requested and in August 1915 was granted permission to join the French Service Aeronautique. From 25 Sep 1915 to 2 May 1916 he attended the aviation schools a Pau, Chateauroux, and at the G.D.E. On 17 Mar 1916 he received his Brevet D'Aviateur Militaire No. 2999 in the Caudron. Following aviation school he served briefly as an instructor and tester of aircraft.
Hill's service with N.124 began officially on 6 Jun 1916 and continued through 18 Feb 1918 when Escadrille SPA.124 was incorporated into the U.S. Air Service as the U.S. 103rd Aero Pursuit Squadron. His nickname, "Dud," concealed an aggressive spirit.
Self-effacing by nature, Hill was never one to draw attention to himself. As one of his comrades noted, "Monosyllabic Dud has a long and enviable record of service which he never mentions, but he is always generous in his praise of the records at the Front of other men."
On 8 Oct 1917, Hill was awarded France's Croix de Guerre, avec 'etoile (with Star). His citation reads: "American citizen engaged for the duration of the war. A good fighter pilot, dedicated to his duties. He participated in a number of engagements, particularly the last attack of Verdun with no consideration for his own safety. He showed everyone the best examples of bravery, spirit, and hardiness. He particularly distinguished himself on the 18th of August while protecting a mission in which his plane was seriously damaged."
On 17 Nov 1917, Adjudant Dudley Hill was made a Captain in the Signal Corps of the U.S. Air Service. On 18 Feb 1918, Captain Hill was assigned to the U.S. 103rd Aero Pursuit Squadron and flew combat missions until 1 Jun 1918. He then flew for two months with the U.S. 139th Aero Pursuit Squadron. He commanded the U.S. 138th Aero Pursuit Squadron from 1 Aug to 1 Nov 1918. From that date until 1 Dec 1918, he was Commanding Officer of the 5th Pursuit Group.
On 21 Mar 1919, Captain Dudley Hill became one of only six Lafayette Escadrille pilots to be authorized by Field Marshal Petain to wear the French fourragere in the colors of the Croix de Guerre for having served both with N.124 and the U.S. 103rd Aero Squadron when the squadron had received two citations in l'Ordre de l'Armee. In that same month of March, Hill was discharged from the U.S. Air Service.
Dudley Hill's nearly 28 months of numerous air sorties in the worst of conditions must have caused him to despise flying, for he never again took the controls of an airplane. He never discussed, even with his closest of family, the bad times of his war experience. He chose only to mention the good memories, the humorous events, or those episodes which highlighted the unique qualities of his comrades.
On 28 Jan 1925, a grateful France awarded Hill the Cross of Knight (Chevalier) de Legion d'Honneur for his "splendid services during the War." He married Evaline Craven in Norfolk, Virginia in 1941. They had a son, MacDonough, in 1942. On 30 Jun 1951, Dudley Hill died of a heart attack at age 57 at his Peekskill home.
[Source: "The Lafayette Flying Corps: The American Volunteers in the French Air Service in World War One," by Dennis Gordon. Schiffer Military History, Atglen, PA: 2000. Pages 231-234.]
Dudley Lawrence Hill, the 12th volunteer of the Escadrille Americaine, was the son of Edward Finch Hill, founder of the Union Stove Works, and Jessee (Dyckman) Hill. Dudley played football at Oakside High School and later again at the Peekskill Military Academy before graduating on 9 Jun 1914.
That Fall semester, Hill entered the Mechanical Engineering School at Cornell University, but he transferred to New York University in February of 1915 to take advantage of a special chemistry course offered there. He stayed only one month, for he told his friends he had to take part in some capacity in the European War. Before the end of March, Dudley set sail for France on La Touraine.
He served initially with the American Ambulance Service. He requested and in August 1915 was granted permission to join the French Service Aeronautique. From 25 Sep 1915 to 2 May 1916 he attended the aviation schools a Pau, Chateauroux, and at the G.D.E. On 17 Mar 1916 he received his Brevet D'Aviateur Militaire No. 2999 in the Caudron. Following aviation school he served briefly as an instructor and tester of aircraft.
Hill's service with N.124 began officially on 6 Jun 1916 and continued through 18 Feb 1918 when Escadrille SPA.124 was incorporated into the U.S. Air Service as the U.S. 103rd Aero Pursuit Squadron. His nickname, "Dud," concealed an aggressive spirit.
Self-effacing by nature, Hill was never one to draw attention to himself. As one of his comrades noted, "Monosyllabic Dud has a long and enviable record of service which he never mentions, but he is always generous in his praise of the records at the Front of other men."
On 8 Oct 1917, Hill was awarded France's Croix de Guerre, avec 'etoile (with Star). His citation reads: "American citizen engaged for the duration of the war. A good fighter pilot, dedicated to his duties. He participated in a number of engagements, particularly the last attack of Verdun with no consideration for his own safety. He showed everyone the best examples of bravery, spirit, and hardiness. He particularly distinguished himself on the 18th of August while protecting a mission in which his plane was seriously damaged."
On 17 Nov 1917, Adjudant Dudley Hill was made a Captain in the Signal Corps of the U.S. Air Service. On 18 Feb 1918, Captain Hill was assigned to the U.S. 103rd Aero Pursuit Squadron and flew combat missions until 1 Jun 1918. He then flew for two months with the U.S. 139th Aero Pursuit Squadron. He commanded the U.S. 138th Aero Pursuit Squadron from 1 Aug to 1 Nov 1918. From that date until 1 Dec 1918, he was Commanding Officer of the 5th Pursuit Group.
On 21 Mar 1919, Captain Dudley Hill became one of only six Lafayette Escadrille pilots to be authorized by Field Marshal Petain to wear the French fourragere in the colors of the Croix de Guerre for having served both with N.124 and the U.S. 103rd Aero Squadron when the squadron had received two citations in l'Ordre de l'Armee. In that same month of March, Hill was discharged from the U.S. Air Service.
Dudley Hill's nearly 28 months of numerous air sorties in the worst of conditions must have caused him to despise flying, for he never again took the controls of an airplane. He never discussed, even with his closest of family, the bad times of his war experience. He chose only to mention the good memories, the humorous events, or those episodes which highlighted the unique qualities of his comrades.
On 28 Jan 1925, a grateful France awarded Hill the Cross of Knight (Chevalier) de Legion d'Honneur for his "splendid services during the War." He married Evaline Craven in Norfolk, Virginia in 1941. They had a son, MacDonough, in 1942. On 30 Jun 1951, Dudley Hill died of a heart attack at age 57 at his Peekskill home.
[Source: "The Lafayette Flying Corps: The American Volunteers in the French Air Service in World War One," by Dennis Gordon. Schiffer Military History, Atglen, PA: 2000. Pages 231-234.]
That Fall semester, Hill entered the Mechanical Engineering School at Cornell University, but he transferred to New York University in February of 1915 to take advantage of a special chemistry course offered there. He stayed only one month, for he told his friends he had to take part in some capacity in the European War. Before the end of March, Dudley set sail for France on La Touraine.
He served initially with the American Ambulance Service. He requested and in August 1915 was granted permission to join the French Service Aeronautique. From 25 Sep 1915 to 2 May 1916 he attended the aviation schools a Pau, Chateauroux, and at the G.D.E. On 17 Mar 1916 he received his Brevet D'Aviateur Militaire No. 2999 in the Caudron. Following aviation school he served briefly as an instructor and tester of aircraft.
Hill's service with N.124 began officially on 6 Jun 1916 and continued through 18 Feb 1918 when Escadrille SPA.124 was incorporated into the U.S. Air Service as the U.S. 103rd Aero Pursuit Squadron. His nickname, "Dud," concealed an aggressive spirit.
Self-effacing by nature, Hill was never one to draw attention to himself. As one of his comrades noted, "Monosyllabic Dud has a long and enviable record of service which he never mentions, but he is always generous in his praise of the records at the Front of other men."
On 8 Oct 1917, Hill was awarded France's Croix de Guerre, avec 'etoile (with Star). His citation reads: "American citizen engaged for the duration of the war. A good fighter pilot, dedicated to his duties. He participated in a number of engagements, particularly the last attack of Verdun with no consideration for his own safety. He showed everyone the best examples of bravery, spirit, and hardiness. He particularly distinguished himself on the 18th of August while protecting a mission in which his plane was seriously damaged."
On 17 Nov 1917, Adjudant Dudley Hill was made a Captain in the Signal Corps of the U.S. Air Service. On 18 Feb 1918, Captain Hill was assigned to the U.S. 103rd Aero Pursuit Squadron and flew combat missions until 1 Jun 1918. He then flew for two months with the U.S. 139th Aero Pursuit Squadron. He commanded the U.S. 138th Aero Pursuit Squadron from 1 Aug to 1 Nov 1918. From that date until 1 Dec 1918, he was Commanding Officer of the 5th Pursuit Group.
On 21 Mar 1919, Captain Dudley Hill became one of only six Lafayette Escadrille pilots to be authorized by Field Marshal Petain to wear the French fourragere in the colors of the Croix de Guerre for having served both with N.124 and the U.S. 103rd Aero Squadron when the squadron had received two citations in l'Ordre de l'Armee. In that same month of March, Hill was discharged from the U.S. Air Service.
Dudley Hill's nearly 28 months of numerous air sorties in the worst of conditions must have caused him to despise flying, for he never again took the controls of an airplane. He never discussed, even with his closest of family, the bad times of his war experience. He chose only to mention the good memories, the humorous events, or those episodes which highlighted the unique qualities of his comrades.
On 28 Jan 1925, a grateful France awarded Hill the Cross of Knight (Chevalier) de Legion d'Honneur for his "splendid services during the War." He married Evaline Craven in Norfolk, Virginia in 1941. They had a son, MacDonough, in 1942. On 30 Jun 1951, Dudley Hill died of a heart attack at age 57 at his Peekskill home.
[Source: "The Lafayette Flying Corps: The American Volunteers in the French Air Service in World War One," by Dennis Gordon. Schiffer Military History, Atglen, PA: 2000. Pages 231-234.]
