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So, he closed the little country farm store. He and Ollie went to live in Eufaula, Alabama. During this time, he helped an uncle run a small store. He learned from past experience that he couldn't give groceries on credit. Here is where his son James David Hill III was born in their home in the back of the store. During the next years ahead J D would find himself doing a number of odd jobs, such as selling books, pictures, vacuum cleaners and other items door to door.
J.D. served in the Army in the 1940’s. He was a foot soldier waiting to invade Japan, but Japan surrendered. He later had problems with his feet and was put on bed rest. When he recovered from his problems he was placed in the mess hall and was put through cooking classes. He became one of the top cooks in the army and was promoted to Sergeant.
Once he got out of the army, he went to work for his uncle that would sneak him into a Liberty Supermarket on Sunday’s when the store was closed. There he learned to cut meat. J D then got a job with A & P Grocery store in the meat room but wasn’t allowed to cut meat, only to be a clean-up boy. Later he got a job with Liberty Supermarket as a #2 butcher. His boss was always goofing off and not working. So, he was promoted as the market manager. He became highly respected as a meat butcher because of his ability to cut the best quality cuts of meat and to select beef on the hoof (live cattle). He would purchase local cattle from the ranchers around town at a low price to give his customers a better price. Because of the great job he was doing with Liberty Supermarket, Associated Grocers of Alabama came to him and offered him a job as a meat selector and buyer.