World War II Honoree

Harold B. Millikan

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Pateros, Washington

Honored By

LTC Charles T. Borg, USA-Ret.

ENLISTED FEBRUARY 21, 1941, AND SERVED IN THE 899TH TANK DESTROYER BATTALION. LANDED IN NORTH AFRICA JANUARY 1943 AND FOUGHT AT THE DECISIVE BATTLE OF EL GUETTAR, TUNISIA, WHERE GENERAL GEORGE PATTON WAS VICTORIOUS OVER GERMAN FIELD MARSHAL ERWIN ROMMEL. NOVEMBER 1943 THE 899TH LANDED IN ITALY BUT WAS SOON PULLED OUT AND SENT TO ENGLAND TO TRAIN FOR THE D-DAY INVASION IN NORMANDY. ON D-DAY ELEMENTS OF THE 899TH LANDED AT UTAH BEACH WITH THE U.S. 4TH INFANTRY DIVISION AND WENT ON TO PLAY A MAJOR ROLE IN THE CAPTURE OF CHERBOURG, FRANCE. THEY SPEARHEADED BREAKOUT OF THE HEDGEROW FIGHTING IN NORMANDY ON JULY 25TH AND WERE ONE OF THE FIRST ALLIED UNITS TO BEGIN THE LIBERATION OF BELGIUM. DURING THE BATTLE OF THE BULGE, STARTING DECEMBER 1944, THEY HELD THE GROUND ON THE NORTHERN FLANK OF THE ARDENNES BATTLE UNTIL LATE JANUARY 1945. THEY THEN MOVED TO THE RHINE RIVER AND HELD THE REMAGEN BRIDGE AND THEN CROSSED TO HELP CLEAR THE RUHR POCKET OF LAST GERMAN RESISTANCE. BY MAY 1945 WHEN GERMANY SURRENDERED THE 899TH HAD DESTROYED 71 GERMAN TANKS, 15 SELF-PROPELLED GUNS, 10 HALF TRACKS, AND CAPTURED 2,600 GERMAN PRISONERS. HE EARNED THE EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN CAMPAIGN MEDAL WITH 4 BATTLE STARS, AND WWII VICTORY MEDAL.