World War II Honoree

Lewis L. Millett

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Maine

Honored By

John Peterson

ENLISTED IN 1940 IN THE ARMY AIR CORPS AND SERVED AS A GUNNER. SOON AFTER, WHEN IT APPEARED THAT THE U.S. WOULD NOT ENTER WWII, HE LEFT AND JOINED THE CANADIAN ARMY. IN 1942, WHILE HE WAS SERVING IN LONDON, THE UNITED STATES ENTERED THE WAR. HE TURNED HIMSELF INTO THE U.S. EMBASSY THERE. HE WAS EVENTUALLY ASSIGNED TO THE 1ST ARMORED DIVISION. AS AN ANTI-TANK GUNNER IN TUNISIA, HE EARNED THE SILVER STAR AFTER HE JUMPED INTO A BURNING HALF-TRACK FILLED WITH AMMUNITION, DROVE IT AWAY FROM ALLIED SOLDIERS AND JUMPED TO SAFETY JUST BEFORE THE VEHICLE EXPLODED. HE LATER SHOT DOWN A GERMAN FIGHTER PLANE WITH A VEHICLE-MOUNTED MACHINE GUN. AS A SERGEANT SERVING IN ITALY DURING THE WAR, HIS DESERTION TO JOIN THE CANADIAN FORCES CAUGHT UP TO HIM. HE WAS COURT-MARTIALED, FINED $52 AND DENIED LEAVE. A FEW WEEKS LATER HE WAS AWARDED A BATTLEFIELD COMMISSION.