Veteran Story graphic by Kimber Garland.
Clint J. Hill served as a United States secret service agent under five different presidents from Eisenhower to Ford, 1958 to 1975. On Nov. 22, 1963, Clint was a first-hand witness to the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, as part of the official motorcade in Dallas, Texas. Clint was assigned to protect the First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy and is widely credited with saving her life by leaping onto the car while it was moving and shielding the first lady from any other potential gunfire. In later years, he suffered from intense guilt, blaming himself for not stopping the assassination of President Kennedy. Despite quietly suffering, he diligently protected the first lady and is popularly credited with saving her life.
Born January 1932, Clint was adopted and raised in the small town of Washburn, North Dakota. He attended university at Concordia College in Minnesota with a desire to become a history and physical education teacher. After college, Clint was drafted into the Army and served as a special agent in the Army Counter-Intelligence Corps. Clint served in the Army from 1954 to 1957 when he was honorably discharged. In 1958, Clint joined the Secret Service and was assigned to a post in Denver, Colorado. A year later, Clint was assigned to guard President Dwight D. Eisenhower, but this service was short-lived as he was selected to guard Jacqueline Kennedy in 1960. Clint performed so well in his role that he was soon managing other agents in charge of her protection in addition to his own duties.
On Nov. 19, 2018, Clint received the Theodore Roosevelt Rough Rider Award from the Governor of North Dakota. We thank Clint for his service.
Contributors:
Graphic designer: Kimber Garland
Editor: Taryn Gehman
Fact checker: Jordan Gossett
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I wish that someone would help me. I am a female single mother of two. Purple Heart combat veteran and the first female from Iceland to be a Marine. I have been fighting for help for 3 months, and now I am separated for my children and I am homeless. All these nonprofit organizations that say that they are going to help say I make too much money. Because I am 100% disabled due to an anti tank mine explosion. Not only am I going to end up pushing a shopping cart and losing my kids, but the Dfas and the DoD owe me 12 years of combat related special pay and they have been taking 2 months already and I have been sleeping in my car and my minor child is staying with a friend. My dog and parrot are with me and I cannot do this anymore. Punish the abused and then boom let the Abuser get on with their lives. I have contacted everyone for help and so far semper fi and helping paws San Diego have helped us with my dog and clothes and now I pray that someone will see this because out of all the housing projects that they say that the are going to help us. Bs in one I have to be a drug addicted no kids allowed one takes 45 days and the others I make too much money. Then how are other veterans that are 100% getting housing and why do they only make housing for male veterans….???????
Mr. Hill, thank you for your military service and for serving five U.S. presidents as a Secret Service agent. You did an outstanding job, and I salute you.
Steven M. Miller
U.S. Army, 1980-2006
The Man of the hour at that time was Rufus Youngblood and my father OSI agent USAF AGREES