Living Legend Of Naval Aviation

To mark the kickoff of the year-long Centennial of Naval Aviation celebration I recently had the pleasure to photograph retired Rear Adm. Allen E. “Boot” Hill and to hear his story.  Hill, age 82 of Riverside, was one of the Navy’s first jet fighter pilots, both over Korea and later Vietnam, and benefitted greatly from technology developed in the Inland area.  He later commanded the USS Ranger (then CV 61, now CVA 61), developed Naval tactical fighter pilot programs on both coasts and advocated for the independent assessment work being performed locally.  Read Hill’s story in The Press-Enterprise and on Navy.mil.