World War II Honoree

John Butler Milling, Sr.

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Greenwood, South Carolina

Honored By

Robert S. Cox

GRADUATED FROM THE CITADEL IN CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA IN 1939. SERVED IN THE EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN THEATER AS A PILOT IN THE 100TH BOMBARDMENT GROUP, 8TH AIR FORCE BASED AT THORPE ABBOTTS, ENGLAND DURING THE WAR. FLEW B-17 'FLYING FORTRESS' BOMBERS IN PRIMARILY STRATEGIC BOMBING OF TARGETS SUCH AS AIRFIELDS IN FRANCE, NAVAL FACILITIES AND INDUSTRIAL WORKS IN FRANCE AND GERMANY. PARTICIPATED IN OPERATION 'BIG WEEK' FROM FEBRUARY 20-25, 1944 IN CONCENTRATED STRIKES AGAINST THE GERMAN AIRCRAFT INDUSTRY. SUPPORTED THE NORMANDY INVASION IN FRANCE WITH MISSIONS AGAINST ENEMY POSITIONS AT ST. LO IN JULY, 1944 AND AT BREST IN AUGUST AND SEPTEMBER, 1944. STRUCK TRANSPORTATION NETWORKS AND GROUND DEFENSES IN THE DRIVE ON THE SIEGFRIED LINE IN OCTOBER-DECEMBER, 1944. BOMBED GERMAN LINES OF COMMUNICATIONS AND TROOP CONCENTRATIONS DURING THE BATTLE OF THE BULGE IN DECEMBER, 1944-JANUARY, 1945. ALSO FLEW INTERDICTORY MISSIONS IN SUPPORT OF THE AIRBORNE ASSAULT ACROSS THE RHINE RIVER IN MARCH, 1945. HIS UNIT WAS AWARDED THE PRESIDENTIAL (DISTINGUISHED) UNIT CITATION FOR DISRUPTING GERMAN FIGHTER PLANE PRODUCTION DURING A RAID ON REGENSBURG, GERMANY ON AUGUST 17, 1943; AND ANOTHER FOR ATTACKS AGAINST BERLIN, GERMANY IN MARCH, 1944. ALSO AWARDED THE FRENCH CROIX DE GUERRE WITH PALM FOR ATTACKING HEAVILY DEFENDED INSTALLATIONS IN GERMANY AND FOR DROPPING SUPPLIES TO FRENCH FORCES OF THE INTERIOR FROM JUNE-DECEMBER, 1944. CONTINUED IN SERVICE AFTER THE WAR UNTIL HIS RETIREMENT FROM THE U.S. AIR FORCE WITH THE RANK OF COLONEL.