John Hilger was born in Germany. He entered the military service in Missouri and served in the U.S. Army during World War I as a Sergeant in Company M, 26th Infantry Regiment, 1st Infantry Division. He was Killed in Action on July 19, 1918 and is now buried in Aisne-Marne American Cem., Belleau, France. He awarded the Distinguished Service Cross and his ciataion reads as:

Distinguished Service Cross
AWARDED FOR ACTIONS
DURING World War I
Service: Army
Rank: Sergeant
Division: 1st Division, American Expeditionary Forces
GENERAL ORDERS:
War Department, General Orders No. 132 (1918)

CITATION: 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 Sergeant John Hilger, United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in action while serving with Company M, 26th Infantry Regiment, 1st Division, A.E.F., near Soissons, France. In spite of two wounds received on 19 July 1918, Sergeant Hilger led his platoon against a machine-gun nest and flanked and captured it, but as this courageous and useful deed was accomplished he was struck by a machine-gun bullet and killed.