Edwin Joseph Hill was born in Philadelphia on October 4, 1895, enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 1912, served in World War I on the U.S.S. Melville, later served on the U.S.S. Saratoga, Yorktown, Reina, Mercedes, New Mexico and Pennsylvania, was an instructor in seamanship at the U.S. Naval Academy from 1922 to 1924, established legal residence in Cape May in 1925, was commissioned Chief Boatswain in 1926, and was attached to the U.S.S. Nevada in 1940. During the height of the bombing at Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, he made his way ashore and cut all lines, enabling Nevada to escape to safety, then swam back aboard while wounded and was later killed during strafing. Honors awarded to him included the Congressional Medal of Honor on March 1, 1942, Camp Hill, Idaho, being named on April 12, 1942, and the destroyer U.S.S. Hill being launched at Orange, Texas, on Feb. 28, 1943.