World War II Honoree

Tate Junior Mills

Branch of Service

U.S. Navy

Hometown

Burden, Kansas

Honored By

Robert S. Cox

INDUCTED INTO MILITARY SERVICE IN MARCH, 1945 AT FORT LEAVENWORTH AT LEAVENWORTH, KANSAS. SERVED IN THE AMERICAN THEATER AT SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA. HIS SHIP DEPARTED SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA ON AUGUST 1, 1945 AND ARRIVED AT PEARL HARBOR, HAWAII ON AUGUST 8, 1945. THEIR ARRIVAL WAS 2 DAYS AFTER THE FIRST ATOMIC BOMB WAS DROPPED ON JAPAN AND 6 DAYS BEFORE THE JAPANESE GOVERNMENT ACCEPTED THE UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER TERMS. SERVED OVERSEAS IN THE ASIATIC-PACIFIC THEATER ABOARD THE AIRCRAFT CARRIER USS LANGLEY (CVL-27) IN THE LAST DAYS OF THE WAR. HIS SHIP WAS AT PEARL HARBOR WHEN THE WAR ENDED. PARTICIPATED IN 2 VOYAGES OF OPERATION ‘MAGIC CARPET’ AFTER THE END OF HOSTILITIES. THIS WAS THE CODE NAME FOR THE RAPID RETURN OF SERVICE PERSONNEL BY WARSHIPS AND TRANSPORT VESSELS FROM THEATER TO THE U.S.A. AWARDED THE ASIATIC-PACIFIC CAMPAIGN MEDAL, AND WWII VICTORY MEDAL. HONORABLY DISCHARGED IN OCTOBER, 1945 AND ISSUED THE WWII HONORABLE DISCHARGE LAPEL PIN.