Henry Root Hill (June 20, 1876 – October 16, 1918) was a United States Army officer in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

[1] In 1894, Hill enlisted in the Illinois National Guard as a private assigned to Company F, 4th Infantry Regiment.

[1][3] In 1916, Hill served on the U.S. border with Mexico during the Pancho Villa Expedition as commander of 2nd Brigade, 12th Provisional Division.

[1] On July 25, 1917, three months after the American entry into World War I, Hill became a brigadier general of the National Army, and he led the 65th Infantry Brigade during training in the United States and deployment to France.

[6] Hill was offered a discharge at his brigadier general's rank or a colonel's commission in the Service of Supply, both of which he refused.

[1] "The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 9, 1918, takes pride in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross (Posthumously) to Major (Infantry) Henry R. Hill, United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in action while serving with 128th Infantry Regiment, 32d Division, A.E.F., near Romagne-sous-Montfaucon, France, 16 October 1918.

When a group of enemy machine gunners were about to open fire on his flank, Major Hill noticed them, and, armed only with a captured pistol, he immediately went forward to engage them.

Taken by surprise, three of the crew surrendered, but one, remaining in the pit, turned the machine gun on him; and as Major Hill’s pistol failed to work he was instantly killed by the machine-gun fire.