Interview with Jim Hill of the VMF-214 Black Sheep Squadron - By Todd "Stardog" Garner
In September of this year I had the great honor to meet Jim Hill at the Mount Comfort Airfield during the Indy Airshow in Indiana. Jim was there with another Black Sheep pilot Tom Emrich signing pictures and talking to people all day long for two days to benefit Rileys Childrens Hospital. It was truly an honor to talk to these gentlemen and hear some of their stories from the old days and to see them giving their time for such a great cause. I would also like to thank Mint Moore III for setting this interview up, it was very much appreciated. Mr. Moore is the gentleman that brought Jim and Tom to the airshow and will be coordinating The Gathering of Corsairs next year at the Indy Airshow where 20+ Corsairs will gather and fly together along with many more surviving members of the Black Sheep Squadron. You can get more information on that at his website. http://bentwingbird.com/corsairgathering/
This is the interview that I did with Jim Hill after the airshow, I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
James J. Hill
Lt. Col. James J. Hill, Marine Fighter Pilot and member of “Pappy” Boyington’s VMF 214 Blacksheep Squadron, was born in Chicago, IL on September 9, 1920. He attended Monmouth College in Monmouth, IL for one year and then returned to the Chicago area where he attended Wright City College and Northwestern University. While in college he received his private pilot’s license as part of the Civilian Pilots Training Program.
Upon leaving college he joined the Navy Flight Training Program in New Orleans where he flew the N3N Stearman Aircraft. From there he went to Pensacola and flew the SNJ Advanced Trainer. He received further training at Miami and Jacksonville flying the F2A Brewster Buffalo and the F4F Wildcat fighter planes.
The “Blacksheep” were formed from a group of pilots who were waiting to be assigned as replacements in other squadrons. “Pappy” Boyington was in this group and persuaded General Moore to form a new fighter squadron, which was needed at the time.
While flying F4U-1 Corsair fighter planes in the Solomon Islands, he participated in action against Japanese forces at Guadacanal April 1, 1943, Munda, July 17 to August 30, 1943, Northern Solomons, September 16 to October 19 and Vella La Vella and Torokina, December 17, 1943 to January 16, 1944 which included Bomber Escort Missions, Strafing attacks, Fighter sweeps, Search and Rescue and Patrols totaling seventy missions.
Upon completion of his two combat tours with the “Blacksheep”, he was assigned to squadron VMF 211 at Green Island, where he took part in 30 more combat missions.
Jim Hill returned to the United States as a fighter pilot instructor, training others for combat duty in VMF 521.
Soon thereafter he was assigned to VMF 324 at Midway Island where he was preparing for the final attack on Japan, when on August 6, 1945 the atomic bomb ended the war.
After serving 4 years in wartime duty and 6 more years as a reserve at Glenview Naval Air Station, he was awarded 3 Distinguished Flying Crosses and 12 Air Medals.
Stardog:
I would like to start off by saying what an honor it is to have an opportunity to speak with Jim Hill from the famous Black Sheep Squadron VMF-214. Thank you for taking the time to do this interview today.
Jim: War in the South Pacific provided the most exciting experiences in my lifetime. As a result, I am always ready to talk about those days with the Blacksheep Squadron.
Stardog: Were you involved with aviation before the war?
Jim: Yes; I was fortunate to get my private pilot’s license while attending Wright Community College in Chicago during my sophomore year which gave me a good advantage when entering the Naval Aviation Training Program.
Stardog: Can you describe what it was like preparing to go overseas? Were you scared, excited, ect.?
Jim: This is what we were looking forward to while we were training; To join a squadron and go into combat. Scared—No. Excited-You bet! We were young and everything was so new to us.
Stardog: Do you feel that you were prepared for the air war in the Pacific?
Jim: Yes; we were prepared for whatever we had to do and we wouldn’t have reached the status of a fighter pilot if we hadn’t done well in our training.
Stardog: Do you feel that the flight training that recruits received in those days was adequate and prepared them for what they would be facing?
Jim: The flight training in E-Base was where we flew N3N Stearman planes. E-Base stood for Elimination Training and many of us were eliminated. That was the most dangerous part of our training in that we were all learning to fly. One of the cadets flew into me from behind in midair; that almost ended my career. But yes, we had excellent training.
Stardog: What different types of aircraft have you flown? And which one was your favorite and why?
The only plane I flew in combat was the Corsair and of course it was my favorite.
Stardog: You flew the F4U-1 Corsair against the Japanese in the Pacific Theater. Can you describe how that plane compared to the Japanese airplanes? What were the F4U-1’s weaknesses and strengths?
Jim: The Corsair had self-sealing gas tanks and armor plating behind the cockpit which the Zero did not. The Corsair could take more punishment and had 6-50 cal. Guns that could knock out anything. They said the Corsair was difficult to land because the cockpit was far back which didn’t give you forward vision; but once you got used to it, it was not a problem.
Stardog: One of the most debated topics in the flight sim community is the “flight model” of the planes being simulated. Most often stall and spin characteristics are the most questioned aspect of the flight model. Can you tell me in your experience a little bit about the characteristics of the F4U-1 in combat, especially when it came to stalls and spins? Was this something that happened a lot and when it did how hard was it to get the plane under control again?
Jim: In combat, when you pulled back sharply in a turn, the Corsair would buck and gave you ample warning that a spin was imminent. I never put a Corsair into a spin.
Stardog: Can you tell me what Japanese plane you feared or disliked facing in combat the most? And Why?
Jim: The plane all of us disliked was the Japanese Zero. Why? Because if it got on your tail, Pappy Boyington said don’t dog-fight a zero. It is a very light plane and can turn inside you and initially it will out-climb you. So the only thing to do is Split-S; that is roll over and dive away from it, then regain altitude and get back in the fight.
Stardog: How often did you fly combat missions during your time with the Black Sheep? And what types of missions were they usually?
Jim: We flew one or two combat missions a day. I once flew 3. Occasionally we would not fly due to bad weather. Many of our missions we flew cover for the bombers. However, Pappy came up with “Fighter Sweeps” where just fighters went out looking for targets to strafe and combat enemy fighters.
Stardog: Can you describe for me your first combat mission?
Jim: 1st combat mission we were flying cover for bombers when many zeros attacked us and the sky went up for grabs. A zero got on my tail and I dove away from him. This being my first experience, I’m sure I dove further than I had to and by the time I climbed back up, the fight was over.
Stardog: Can you describe for me your first combat kill and how did it make you feel?
Jim: We were on a Fighter-Sweep and when we reached Rabaul, a Japanese stronghold, Pappy called on the radio, “Come on up here and fight you Bums”. Well, with that we could see the zeros taking off two by two. As they approached our altitude Pappy said “Lets go get em’ boys”, and we rolled over and dove on them. I picked out a target, got a good shot at him and he burst into flames. I think we shot down eight planes that day.
Stardog: How many combat missions did you fly with the VMF-214 Black Sheep? And is there one that really stands out in your mind?
Jim: I flew 70 missions with the Blacksheep. The first mission was exciting in that after the Melay was over, we returned to home base individually. My engine was conking out and I was losing altitude fast. I was down to 1500’ and decided to bail out when the engine cut back in. I spotted an island up ahead with an emergency landing strip and I dove for it not knowing if it was friendly or enemy. I made the landing and fortunately a couple of Marines greeted me!
Stardog: How would you describe the Japanese pilots that you faced?
Jim: The Japanese Pilots at first were pretty crafty, but the more that were shot down the less proficient they became. They were trained well but didn’t improvise very well.
Stardog: Can you recall any mission in your time in the Pacific that you truly thought you might not make it back and if so can you describe what happened?
Jim: I’m sure all of the Blacksheep had exciting experiences. One mission that is still very clear in my mind was the one when we lost Pappy Boyington and George Ashman. We had taken off when I discovered my radio was not working. This wasn’t unusual and when it happened we used hand signals to communicate. This mission was a fighter sweep to Rabaul, a Japanese stronghold.
As we approached the combat area we tested our guns. Mine wouldn’t fire, -I tried every trick I knew, but they just would not fire. Rather than be a sitting duck, I decided to return to base 300 miles away. I signaled to my wingman that I was having trouble with my plane and turned the lead over to him. In trying to return to base, I discovered my compass wasn’t working either. By checking the position of the sun and gauging the wind and water, I flew a course that I thought would take me back to my base. It didn’t work out that way – I was lost and very low on fuel and nobody knew my position, so there wouldn’t be a search for me. Not an island in sight, nothing but the blue Pacific. I thought, “This is it! Shall I bail out or land in the water.” Either way I wouldn’t last long in a rubber raft. I got the feeling of a man ready to be executed. But—at this moment a Corsair flashed in front of me and gave me the “join up” signal. It was my wingman who had been following above and behind me. Realizing I was lost, he led me back to base with an almost empty fuel tank. If he had stayed with the formation, I wouldn’t be here to write about it.
Stardog: Did you have any idea that the Black Sheep squadron would be so famous and admired by so many people? And how do you feel about that?
Jim: Not until Pappy started shooting so many planed down did we think we were doing a pretty good job. Then people started writing books about us and eventually the Blacksheep TV show. The story lines were contrived but the air-scenes were great. I’ve been to many airshows and the people ask me if we really were misfits ready to be court martialed and I tell them “Only when we were on R&R in Sydney.
Stardog: Out of everything you experienced in your time flying in the Pacific Theater what did you take away from it that has helped you the most in your life and possibly might help someone else just starting their life as you were when you started flying with the Black Sheep?
Jim: The life of a pilot in combat is challenging. What with poor living conditions, spam, etc. But it prepares you for anything that confronts you in the future.
Stardog: For my last question, Have you ever had the opportunity to try any of the computer flight simulators currently on the market? If so what ones and how well did you feel they simulated real flight?
Jim: No, but my grandson promises to teach me!
Stardog: In closing I would just like to thank you for taking the time to do this interview with us, it has been and honor and a pleasure. I would also like to thank you for your service to our country. It is because of the bravery of men like you that we enjoy the freedoms that we do. Thank you Jim Hill
Jim: “The brave men were those that didn’t return.”
