World War II Honoree

Clement G. Miller

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

New Orleans, Louisiana

Honored By

Jack R. Hilbrich

Relationship

Comrade in Ams

ASSIGNED TO BASIC TRAINING CAMP AT FORT POLK, LOUISIANA. TRAVELED TO EUROPE; SERVED WITH THE 44TH INFANTRY DIVISION, 71ST INFANTRY REGIMENT, 1ST BATTALION, COMPANY F AS A BUCK SERGEANT IN THE EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN CAMPAIGN. PARTICIPATED IN 4 BATTLES: NORTHERN FRANCE, CENTRAL EUROPE, RHINELAND AND ARDENNES-ALSACE. HE RECEIVED THE COMBAT INFANTRYMAN BADGE, BRONZE STAR MEDAL AND PURPLE HEART FOR ACTIONS TAKEN IN COMBAT ON DECEMBER 2, 1944 AROUND MACKWILLER, FRANCE WHERE HE WAS SERIOUSLY WOUNDED AND SENT TO BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND TO RECOVER. HE WAS LATER REASSIGNED TO A CONVOY DETAIL AS A GUNNER WHERE HE WAS WOUNDED A SECOND TIME AND RECEIVED A SECOND PURPLE HEART AND ROTATED HOME. ALSO RECEIVED THE EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN CAMPAIGN MEDAL WITH 4 BATTLE STARS, WWII VICTORY MEDAL, ARMY OF OCCUPATION MEDAL WITH GERMANY CLASP, AMERICAN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, FRENCH CROIX DE GUERRE MEDAL, MARKSMAN ON ALL WEAPONS EXCEPT A BAZOOKA, GOOD CONDUCT MEDAL AND 2 OVERSEAS BARS. THERE NEVER HAD BEEN A MILITARY OPERATION REMOTELY APPROACHING THE SCALE AND COMPLEXITY OF THE D-DAY INVASION OF EUROPE AT NORMANDY, FRANCE ON JUNE 6, 1944. THE 44TH INFANTRY DIVISION HAD BECOME PART OF THAT INVADING FORCE AND AT ONE POINT BEEN FIGHTING ON LINE WITHOUT RELIEF F0R 144 CONSECUTIVE DAYS, UNTIL RELIEVED BY THE 3RD INFANTRY DIVISION. RECEIVED COMMENDATIONS FROM THE 7TH ARMY HEADQUARTERS AND THE 6TH ARMY GROUP. THE 3RD BATTALION, 71ST INFANTRY REGIMENT, RECEIVED A PRESIDENTIAL CITATION. ARDENNES CAMPAIGN, ALSO KNOWN AS THE BATTLE OF THE BULGE, WAS THE TURNING BACK OF THE LAST MAJOR OFFENSIVE BY THE GERMAN ARMY IN WWII. IT BEGAN DECEMBER 16, 1944 AND ENDED JANUARY 25, 1945. THE WAR ENDED IN EUROPE FOR THE 44TH DIVISION WHEN, AFTER FIERCE FIGHTING IN THE SNOWY ALPS AND LINKING UP WITH THE 10TH MOUNTAIN DIVISION OF THE U.S. 5TH ARMY AT THE ITALIAN BORDER IN THE ALPS, CAUSED THE 19TH GERMAN ARMY TO SURRENDER ON MAY 5, 1945. ON JUNE 12, 1945 THE 44TH DIVISION WAS ORDERED BACK TO THE U.S. VIA THE HMS QUEEN ELIZABETH TO RE-ARM AND RE-OUTFIT FOR EMBARKATION TO THE SOUTH PACIFIC THEATER OF OPERATIONS TO PREPARE FOR THE INVASION OF JAPAN. WHILE THE TROOPS OF THE 44TH INFANTRY DIVISION WERE AT CAMP CHAFFEE IN ARKANSAS, TRAINING AND REGROUPING, THE WAR ENDED IN THE SOUTH PACIFIC THEATER, WHEN IN AUGUST 1945 THE U.S. DROPPED THE ATOM BOMB ON HIROSHIMA AND NAGASAKI, JAPAN. THE TROOPS OF THE 44TH DIVISION WERE DISCHARGED.