Clint Hill, the Secret Service agent who risked his life to protect President John F. Kennedy and the First Lady during the Dallas shooting on Nov. 22, 1963, has passed away.
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Hill died on Feb. 21. He was 93. In a statement on Monday, the U.S. Secret Service commended Hill for his “unwavering dedication and exceptional service.”
“Clint’s career exemplified the highest ideals of public service,” the statement read, per CNN. “We mourn the loss of a respected colleague and a dear friend whose contributions to the agency and the nation will forever be remembered.”
Of course, Hill’s quick actions to protect Jackie Kennedy during the 1963 assassination became iconic, as he leapt onto the limousine to shield her and the mortally wounded president.
On November 22, 1963, three shots were fired in Dallas. The horrific images are still vivid. I was a 31-year-old unknown Secret Service agent, suddenly thrust into history. At 92, I have come to terms with my place in history. I tried. I was unsuccessful, but at least I tried. pic.twitter.com/WDNncBU1it
— Clint Hill (@ClintHill_SS) November 22, 2024
According to CNN, Hill was part of the first lady’s security detail that day. He was in the car right behind the president as the motorcade passed through Dealey Plaza. When the shots rang out, Hill remained focused on Kennedy. He leapt onto the dashboard, and as the car sped away, he signaled a thumbs down to his fellow Secret Service agents.
Clint Hill Remained Haunted by the JFK Assassination for Decades
Haunted by the memories of that day, Hill carried the weight of regret in the rare public interviews. He believed that, had he reached the car just a moment sooner, he might have saved the president’s life.
“I had a sense that we had a responsibility to protect the president that day and we failed,” Hill told CNN decades later.
“I was the only one who had a chance to do anything,” he insisted. “The way everything developed, the way all the other agents were positioned. I was the only one who had a chance to get to the car and do anything. And I couldn’t get there fast enough.”
He retired at 43 due to post-traumatic stress disorder caused by the Kennedy assassination.
Hill, born in Larimore, North Dakota, served as a Secret Service agent under four U.S. presidents: Dwight Eisenhower, Lyndon Johnson, Richard Nixon, and Gerald Ford. During his service, he was known by the code name “Dazzle.”
The Hill family said he served at the White House during major historical events, including the Cold War, the Cuban Missile Crisis, the assassinations of JFK, Robert Kennedy, and Martin Luther King Jr., the civil rights movement, the Vietnam War, and Watergate.
The statement noted that he is survived by his wife, Lisa McCubbin Hill, along with his sons and grandchildren.