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OF A Marine VETERAN
Nov 2012
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Hillhouse, Billy SSgt
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| Status |
Service Years |
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USMC Retired
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1972 - 1989
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| MOS |
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2131-Towed Artillery Systems Technician
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| Primary Unit |
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1988-1989, 2131, Marine Corps Technical Assistance Team (MCTAT), MCLB Albany (MCLSB LANT)
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Record Your own Service Memories
By Completing Your Reflections!
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Service Reflections is an easy-to-complete self-interview, located on your TWS Profile Page, which enables you to remember key people and events from your military service and the impact they made on your life.
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An up close and personal interview with U.S. Marine Corps Veteran and Togetherweserved.com Member:
SSgt Billy Hillhouse U.S. Marine Corps (1972-1989)
WHAT INFLUENCED YOUR DECISION TO JOIN THE MILITARY?
My family has always been military. Dating back from the year 1689 in Northern Ireland to me. Almost every man in my direct line has joined the military. I lost my father when I was seven years old. The only picture I had of him growing up was  one of him in his Marine Corps Dress Blue uniform from WWII.
I had already lost my mother when I was two, so I was raised in a lot of different foster homes. Some good, but most were bad. When times were not being kind, I would always hold that picture of my father or sleep with it under my pillow. After a while, not just his face in the picture, but the Dress Blue uniform he had on seemed to have a soothing affect on me.
A Marine is all I ever wanted to be from the earliest days of my childhood. Even when I was discharged from boot camp the first time in 1970, I knew I would be back to finish one day. I had no other plan for my life except to be a United States Marine and wear the dress blue uniform like my father. I finished boot camp with honors as I had promised myself in 1972.
The picture to the left is my father in his dress blue uniform taken (I believe) in 1941.
WHAT WAS YOUR SERVICE CAREER PATH?
I enlisted in 1970 right after High School. I was hurt on the obstacle course in third phase of Boot Camp. At the clinic the doctors told me that I had a hernia. The Docs said that because of the type of hernia I had, that I must have  had it prior to joining and would not repair it. Instead I would be discharged. That would be the first time since I was a small child, that anyone would see me cry.
I was sitting in Casualty Company with all the other misfits and rejects awaiting discharge when my platoon graduated. I swore to myself that I'd be back one day to finish what I had started. I was discharged, given my little blue windbreaker, put on a plane and sent home. If you've seen the movie "Baby Blue Marine" that was me in a nutshell.
I worked and saved $3,000.00, which was a large sum of money in 1971, for surgery and had the hernia repaired. Just eight weeks after surgery, and just short of two years from the date I'd been discharged from the Corps, I was back in Boot Camp again. I had to start from training day one. I wonder if the Drill Instructors thought I was crazy, because I couldn't stop smiling as I stood on those yellow footprints for the second time.
I joined to be in the infantry. I worked hard and was promoted to PFC out of boot camp. When I graduated from boot camp, much to my disappointment, I was assigned as a Disbursing Clerk. When I arrived to Disbursing School at Montford Point, the first thing I did was ask for a MOS change. I was told I would have to complete school first, then apply at my first permanent duty station for an MOS change.
It took me a while, and regrettable, thirty days in Correctional Custody Company at Camp Pendleton to accomplish the MOS change to 0311, but it was the happiest day of my life when the Captain told me, "your now a grunt, I hope you know what your asking for", of course I knew. It was what I had dreamed of most of my life. I was assigned to Fox Company, 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines.
When it came time for my first reenlistment, I was told that the Marine Corps didn't need anymore 0300, so I had to change to Ordnance. It broke my heart, but I made the best of it, and enjoyed it. I was around things that made a louder bang, and left bigger holes in what I was shooting at than just an Infantry rifle. What more could a Marine ask for.
FROM YOUR ENTIRE SERVICE CAREER WHAT PARTICULAR MEMORY STANDS OUT?
There are two memories that changed the way I looked at life. Both changed me forever. The first is when I was stationed with 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines at San Mateo on Camp Pendleton in 1973. San Mateo is just inside the gates from San Clemente, which was the location  of the Western White House during the time when Nixon was President.
It was during the time of war protests by Jane Fonda and her Communist followers. Any time President Nixon was at the Western White House she would show up to protest. 7th Marines was always assigned to riot control at the gates of Nixon's house since we were the closest unit. We were there to protect our President from the protesters.
More than once we would stand riot control while these protesters would throw insults and other unmentionable things our way. Those days turned me into a staunch hater of Jane Fonda, and caused me to have an intense dislike of liberals, which I still feel as strongly about today all these many years later.
The second is, the years I spent on Marine Corps Burial Details. I was on Inspector & Instructor Duty in Chattanooga, TN for a few years. There is a National Cemetery there and we were tasked with all the Burial Details, sometimes as many as four in one day.
When I transferred to MCLB Albany, I was again assigned to the Base Burial Detail. After all those funerals, I had seen too much of death's aftermath, and stood over too many caskets. The haunting sound of taps with the muffled sound of next of kin crying in the background seemed to always keep playing over and over in my mind. Especially late at night when everyone else was sleeping.
As great an honor as it was to bring a fellow Marine home for the last time, I was glad when the last one was over. I still have trouble attending funerals of friends and family today.
OF THE MEDALS, AWARDS AND QUALIFICATION BADGES OR DEVICES YOU RECEIVED, WHAT IS THE MOST MEANINGFUL TO YOU AND WHY?
On the positive meaning, it had to be the Leatherneck Shooting Medal I received in boot camp. I shot Series High Shooter. The medal was given at graduation in front of all the other recruits, their Drill Instructors, and the families who came to graduation. It was the proudest  day of my life.
On the negative meaning, it was the Humanitarian Service Medal. It was the end of an era. The fall of Vietnam in 1975. The medal was given for participation in the evacuation and resettlement of the Vietnamese refugees. There is a saying by Vietnam Veterans, "We were winning when I left." I had the watch in 1975 when that changed. I was on duty as a young infantry Sergeant with 5th Marines when we retreated from Vietnam, and was even given a medal for it. It was called the Humanitarian Service Medal. It may have been humanitarian for some of the Vietnamese people we helped escape the country, but for those of us that prided ourselves with the title U.S. Marine Corps, it was a very sad time that would remain with us for the rest of our lives.
WHICH INDIVIDUAL PERSON FROM YOUR SERVICE STANDS OUT AS THE ONE WHO HAD THE BIGGEST IMPACT ON YOU AND WHY?
 My older brother Staff Sergeant George F. Hillhouse 1967 - 1973. He was my hero. He was only 5 foot 4 inches tall, but was the toughest most hard core Marine I ever met. He was with the 26th Marines at the 77 day siege of Khe Sanh. He was also a Tunnel Rat with 9th Marines. He was promoted to Staff Sergeant in less than four years. His boot size was only a size 4 1/2 but I could never fill his boots. Even if I'd spent 50 years as a Marine. The foot print he left behind in the Corps was just too large.
He passed away about a month before this was written. November 20, 2010. We found him at the bottom of his sixteen foot tall deer stand dead from a heart attack. Even after the fall, he was still holding his rifle tightly, keeping it from touching the ground, in true Marine Infantryman fashion.
Semper Fi, Big Brother.
CAN YOU RECOUNT A PARTICULAR INCIDENT FROM YOUR SERVICE THAT WAS FUNNY AT THE TIME AND STILL MAKES YOU LAUGH?
Too many to count, but one stands out. I was stationed at Subic Bay in the Philippines in 1974. Our duty at Separate Guard Company was to walk four hour patrols in the Naval Magazine area in the mountains guarding them against The New Peoples Army and the Islamic  radicals trying to sabotage the ammo dumps.
On one patrol our squad was taking a break along a small creek bank. There happen to be a large mango tree growing close by. A couple of us decided we wanted some mango's, but when we got closer to the tree we found it was full of monkeys helping themselves to our mango's.
We decided the way to get rid of them was to throw something at them. I picked up a rotten mango and threw it into the tree at the monkeys. To my surprise the monkeys started throwing mango's back at us. This went on for a few minutes, first we would throw, then the monkeys would return fire. We were much better shots than the monkeys, so they finally retreated from the tree. After the great battle between the monkeys and our squad was over, there were plenty of fresh mango's lying around us on the ground. Enough to last the squad for quite some time.
The incident will always be remembered fondly by those who were there as "The Battle of Mango Creek."
WHAT PROFESSION DID YOU FOLLOW AFTER THE SERVICE AND WHAT ARE YOU DOING NOW? IF CURRENTLY SERVING, WHAT IS YOUR CURRENT JOB?
 When I was medically retired from the Marine Corps in 1989, I went to work in the same shop that I had been in as a Marine at MCLB, Albany, Georgia as a Civilian Small Arms Repairman. I worked there until 2006 when I retired from Federal Service. If you can no longer wear the Marine Corps uniform, what better civilian job could you have than working on a Marine Base for the Marine Corps.
My job now is fishing and enjoying life in the Big Bend of North Florida, at the place on the Gulf of Mexico where I was raised. I have a small house near the ocean and have to be begged by my wife to even go to town, which is about 20 miles away. All I want now is peace and quite. I don't even want to touch a weapon now except the ones I keep at arms reach for self defense.
WHAT MILITARY ASSOCIATIONS ARE YOU A MEMBER OF, IF ANY? WHAT SPECIFIC BENEFITS DO YOU DERIVE FROM YOUR MEMBERSHIPS?
 Subic Bay Marines, mostly fellowship. I always planned to return to the Philippines when I retired. Having made contact with a few retired military who now live in the P.I. has helped me better understand just what I would be getting myself into by moving back over there.
It's not as easy a life as one might think. All the hassle you have to deal with these days as an American living in the Philippines just isn't worth it. I'd never have gotten the straight scoop if I hadn't belonged to Subic Bay Marines and talked with men who are living there.
In a nutshell, "It's a nice place to visit, but I wouldn't want to live (or die) there".
HOW HAS MILITARY SERVICE INFLUENCED THE WAY YOU HAVE APPROACHED YOUR LIFE AND CAREER?
It has influenced every area of my life in one way or another. From the way I deal with people on a daily basis, my jobs that I have had since leaving the Corps, my marriage of 37 years, to the way I raised my three children.
Everything is based  on the lessons I learned as a Marine. Lessons about honor, courage, and dedication. I raised my two sons to know that a man's word is everything. That is sometimes all you have to offer a fellow Marine when he is depending on you. Your word that you have his back. Your word that you won't fail to do your duty to the best of your ability.
My wife of 37 years can attest to my belief that "Semper Fidelis" can be attributed to a marriage as well as the Corps.
Family and friends know me as sometimes hard in my ways, but none can ever say they knew me to lie, or not do what I said I was going to do. I have a reputation for reaching a helping hand to those who I thought needed help.This has unfortunately bitten me on the butt a few times, because I can get fairly passionate about it.
All the lessons I learned as a Marine has helped me to leave a legacy behind when I'm gone, that I'm content enough with. A legacy that one Marine might say about another. Simply the comment "He was a good man. What more could you ask?".
WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU HAVE FOR THOSE THAT ARE STILL SERVING?
 Enjoy it, and write down as much of it as you can. One day when your old like me, and looking back, you'll realize that your time in the Corps may have been the best years of your life. You don't want to ever forget the times, good and bad. You don't want to forget people, so write down their names now while it's still fresh in your mind. You may think their names will always be there, but time fades the names as well as the memories. You don't want to be like some of us old Marines who now sometimes look through our pictures trying to remember the names of men you thought you'd never forget.
IN WHAT WAYS HAS TOGETHERWESERVED.COM HELPED YOU MAINTAIN A BOND WITH YOUR SERVICE AND THOSE YOU SERVED WITH?
It's put me in contact with men I had not heard from in thirty years. It's also helped me learn of the deaths of quite a few friends I have been trying to locate for many years. There are always people on the site willing to help others with research.
I can go on the site almost any time day or night and talk to men of like spirit and like mind. Men who have seen some of the things and places that not just anyone could ever understand. Only another Marine from my time and my age.
When my older brother (who was also a Marine) passed away in November 2010, there were a lot of Marines from TWS there to give condolences and words of kindness. Those words of kindness were given in ways only another Marine could appreciate. That I will never forget.
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