Secret Service agent who tried to shield President John F. Kennedy and first lady in Dallas dies at 93

Clint Hill passed away last Friday at the age of 93. On November 22, 1963, in Dallas, he bravely rushed to the front lines to protect President John F. Kennedy and the First Lady when they were attacked by gunfire. Hill's death marks the loss of an American hero.

Hill's heroic act of scrambling onto the trunk of the limousine after the President was shot to protect Jacqueline Kennedy became an unforgettable image of the Kennedy assassination in 1963. He pushed the First Lady back into her seat from the trunk to shield her and the mortally wounded President. This scene is deeply etched in people's memories, symbolizing the loyalty and dedication of Secret Service agents.

The U.S. Secret Service issued a statement yesterday praising Hill's "unwavering dedication and exceptional service." The statement said: "Clint's career embodied the highest ideals of public service. We mourn the loss of a respected colleague and a dear friend, and his contributions to the Secret Service and the nation will be forever remembered."

On that day, Hill was assigned to the First Lady's security detail, riding in a car that followed the presidential motorcade through Dealey Plaza. When the shots rang out, Hill said he had been watching President Kennedy and then jumped onto the dashboard. As the vehicle sped away, he gave a thumbs-down gesture to the other Secret Service agents.

For many years, Hill was tormented by the memories of that day. In his few public interviews, he stated that he could have saved the President's life if he had reached the vehicle sooner. "I have a feeling of responsibility that we were there to protect the President that day and we failed," Hill told CNN's Jake Tapper years later. "I was the only one that had a chance to do something," he said. "The way things developed, the positioning of all the other agents, I was the only one that had a chance to get to the car and do something. And I didn't get there quick enough."

Hill was born in Larimore, North Dakota, and his Secret Service code name was "Lancer." He also served four other U.S. presidents: Dwight Eisenhower, Lyndon Johnson, Richard Nixon, and Gerald Ford. He was eventually forced to retire at the age of 43 due to post-traumatic stress disorder caused by the Kennedy assassination.

Hill's family issued a statement on Monday saying that his service at the White House spanned the Cold War, the Cuban Missile Crisis, the assassinations of President Kennedy and his brother Robert F. Kennedy and Martin Luther King Jr., the Civil Rights Movement, the Vietnam War, and Watergate. He is survived by his wife, Lisa McCubbin Hill, his son, and his grandchildren.