Frank Ackerman Hill
Frank Ackerman Hill (March 20, 1919 – January 5, 2012) was an American veteran who served in the U.S. Army Air Corps and the U.S. Air Force. He primarily taught himself to fly gliders as early as 1937. He flew 166 combat missions during World War II, fighting in France, North Africa, Sicily, and Italy. He became the 31st Fighter Group's first 'ace', flying British Spitfires. During his 30-year career he served as the senior air instructor for the New York Air National Guard, served as director of operations at Air Defense Command in Colorado, and was commander of the 33rd Air Division in Virginia.
His decorations include the Silver Star, the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Air Medal with 19 Oak Leaf Clusters, the Legion of Merit with two Oak Leaf Clusters, and five Air Force Commendation Medals. In 1969, he retired at the rank of Colonel. Col. Hill was inducted into the New Jersey Aviation Hall of Fame in 1992 and he was awarded a Congressional Gold Medal posthumously in 2015. The Frank A. Hill Causeway at the Woodcliff Lake Reservoir (NJ) was dedicated July 21, 2017. The dedication was a joint effort by Suez Water and the Borough of Hillsdale, NJ.