James O. Dill, Sr., 75 of Dracut formerly of Newton, who had served in the U.S. Air Force for over 23 years, died Friday Feb. 20, 2004 at St. Elizabeth’s Medical Center in Brighton.Born in Shaw, MS he graduated from Blue Mountain High School, Blue Mountain MS in 1947 and attended N.E. Mississippi Jr. College. He entered the U.S. Air Force in August 1950 and served with the Air Defense Control Center Operations, at Norton AFB California. From 1951 -1953 he served in Early Warning Radar Operations in Okinawa, where he was directly responsible for training through classroom and lectures of all personnel to job proficiency. He was promoted to Sergeant and received Airman of the Month Award three times and NCO of the Quarter at group headquarters. From 1953-1959 he served at the Air Force Research & Development at the Cambridge Research Center at MIT in Cambridge. He served as radar mapping section supervisor, and was assigned to assist the Air Training Command in writing the Tech Training Manual and Training and Test Aids used in the Tech Training School for the SAGE Air Defense School. He was assigned as the first person to become proficient in all positions of the SAGE system and was responsible, as Command Weapons Director Technician, for supervising 22 Weapons Technicians. From 1960 -1974 he was cross trained and served in PA, Germany, Oklahoma, Taiwan, Texas, Thailand, and FL. He was trained in all phases of Air Traffic Control. For his extraordinary performance of duties assigned, he received the Meritorious Commendation Medal in Thailand and Florida.Following his retirement from the Air Force he worked for the U.S. Postal Service as a carrier and clerk at the Newtonville branch. Mr. Dill was a member and Past Master ofDalhousie Lodge A. F. & A.M. He also volunteered at the Scottish Rite Learning Center in Newtonville.He is survived by his children James O. Dill Jr. of Dorchester, Cheryl Ann Dill of Long Beach CA, David P. Dill of Dracut; his brother Rudolph Dill of Ocean Springs MS and 6 grandchildren. He was the father of the late Diana Marie Dill and brother of the late William H. Dill.A funeral service will be held on Wed Feb 25 at 11 AM in St. Mary’s Episcopal Church 258 Concord St. Newton Lower Falls. Relatives and friends are kindly invited. Interment will take place at the mass National Cemetery in Bourne at 2:30 PM. Visiting hours will be in the Eaton & Mackay Funeral 465 Centre St. Newton Corner on Tues from 4-8 PM.In lieu of flowers memorials may be made to the Scottish Rite Learning Center 458 Newtonville Ave. Newton MA 02460 or the American Heart Assoc 20 Speen St. Framingham MA 01701.