Henry Hill could be called a military person's best friend.
Hill, a Navy veteran and retired police officer, operates a Web site, "Our Boys Over There," dedicated to hometown news. He's putting together a coffee-table book about Pearl Harbor and its survivors, based on his superb black-and-white photography.
Now Hill, of Plum, wants to get an effort going that will match stranded or lonely service men and women with generous and caring Southwestern Pennsylvania families for Christmas dinner.
"It's being nice," Hill said. 'It's just being nice."
The Pittsburgh native served in the Navy during the Vietnam War. He said the idea of putting soldiers, sailors and Marines together with families for some holiday cheer occurred to him not because of a personal experience but simply because it seemed like a good idea.
"It is not result-oriented," Hill said. "If we get one or 100, it will be a success."
Hill, who has traveled the country in pursuit of Pearl Harbor survivors for his book-in-waiting, said he realizes that unlike San Diego or Norfolk, Va., the Pittsburgh region is not rife with service personnel.
Yet he said there could be local members of the National Guard and Army Reserve back from Iraq or Afghanistan who are at loose ends as Christmas and the new year approach.
He said he has in mind the active-duty soldier, sailor or Marine temporarily stranded in the area awaiting orders.
"It would be terrific if we could put these men and woman in a family environment just for a day," Hill said.
He cautioned that it is important that families check military IDs of those who come to dinner. His advice to military participants is to wear their uniform, if possible, and definitely to carry identification.
Hill said he would try to serve as a clearinghouse. Families and military who want to get together should call Hill's toll-free number, 888-569-7846. The operation will be run out of his home.
Hill, who joined the Navy in 1968, updates "Our Boys Over There" weekly. It includes photos of local events and text.
Hill's prospective Pearl Harbor book includes interviews with 44 survivors. These range from John W. Finn of California, 99, who won the first Medal of Honor awarded in World War II, to the Morton brothers, Jerry and Don, 11- and 14-year-olds on the day of the Japanese attack, who were fishing off a dock at Pearl City and witnessed the first wave of enemy planes early on the morning of Dec. 7, 1941.
Hill has photographed several Western Pennsylvania Pearl Harbor survivors, including Floyd Laughlin of McDonald.
Richard Robbins is a staff writer with the Greensburg Tribune-Review.
Additional Information:Henry Hill
Age: 59
Hometown: Plum
Family: Divorced; a daughter, Stephanie, 35, and a son, Henry, 27
Favorite thing about the Valley: 'The people. I was gone for 25 years out west, and when I came back they were just like I remembered - friendly, helpful, stick together. It's like a big town with a small town flavor.'
