The American Legion national commander will be in Vicksburg Tuesday speaking at posts 3 and 213.

Clarence Hill, commander of the 2.5 million American Legion members since August 2009, will speak and have lunch with Legionnaires and auxiliary members from the posts at noon at Post 213, 1618 Main St., said Charles Scott St., 6th District commander.

“It’s an honor for us to have him here,” said Scott. “For the past three years, the commanders have been coming to Vicksburg.”

Scott said he expects a group of 75, including city and county officials.

A 27-year member, Hill was elected during the organization’s 91st National Convention in Louisville, Ky. He was a three-time commander of Post 316 in Atlantic Beach, Fla., a member of the Sons of the American Legion Squadron 316 and a life member of Legion Riders Chapter 316.

Hill retired as a captain in the U.S. Navy in 1996 after serving 19 years of sea duty with Cruiser-Destroyer Group 12 in Mayport, Fla., and the Sixth Fleet in Gaeta, Italy, as well as on two cruisers, two destroyers and a frigate.

He served as officer-in-charge of a patrol torpedo boat, commanded the Naval Communications Station United Kingdom in Thurso, Scotland, for three years and the guided missile frigate USS McInerney for two.

The commander earned a masters degree from the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, Calif., and another at the Naval War College in Newport, R.I. He received a bachelor of science degree in history at Buckeye Boys State and was commissioned from the U.S. Naval Academy.

Hill and his wife, Liz, live in Jacksonville, Fla., and have three children and six grandchildren.

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Contact Tish Butts at tbutts@vicksburgpost.com