Henry L Mills
MilitaryAAM DB Photo entry.
Major Mills 'Hank' was born in New York City on 18 October 1917. His various civilian accomplishments were playing varsity football while attending Dartmouth college and earning a Bachelor of Arts degree, as well as graduating in 1939. He then went to join the RCAF in Canada upon the outbreak of war in Europe.
Upon earning his wing as a Pilot Officer he was posted to No. 71 Eagle squadron. In October 1942 he transferred to the USAAF and was assigned to the 4th Fighter Group, 334th Squadron.
His first kills were two Fw-190s on 16 August 1943 while flying a P-47 Thunderbolt. In October he was appointed Squadron Operations Officer. In February 1944 he became an "Ace" and was soon promoted to Major. On 6 March he downed his last enemy aircraft an Fw-190, and minutes later, he was shot down; his engine failed, and he had to bail out immediately, becoming a Prisoner of War.
He escaped from his Stalag Luft III in March 1945 and returned to England.
He was discharged in 1946. Upon his return to life as a civilian he established Mills, Talbot, and Company, dealing with electrical manufactures in New York and New England, retiring in 1987.
Hank had flown Spitfires, Thunderbolts, and Mustangs and had destroyed six enemy aircraft. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross with three Oak Leaf Clusters, the Air Medal with three Oak Leaf Clusters, and the Purple Heart.
Connections
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Units served with
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Fighter
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Type Category: Fighter
People
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 334th Fighter Squadron
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: Crew Chief/Maintenance
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: P-47 Thunderbolt
- Nicknames: Quack! Uncle Den
- Unit: 4th Fighter Group 334th Fighter Squadron
- Aircraft Type: P-47 Thunderbolt
- Unit: 368th Fighter Group 4th Fighter Group 334th Fighter Squadron 397th Fighter Squadron
- Aircraft Type: P-47 Thunderbolt
- Unit: 361st Fighter Group 375th Fighter Squadron
- Aircraft Type: P-51 Mustang
- Unit: 4th Fighter Group 334th Fighter Squadron
- Aircraft Type: Spitfire
- Unit: 495th Fighter Training Group 4th Fighter Group 67th Observation Group 109th Observation Squadron 334th Fighter Squadron 551st Fighter Training Squadron No 71 'Eagle' Squadron
Missions
- Date: 16 August 1943
- Date: 6 March 1943
Places
- Site type: Airfield
- Site type: Airfield
- Site type: Airfield
Events
Event | Location | Date | Description |
---|---|---|---|
Born |
New York, NY, USA | 18 October 1917 | 18-10-1917, New York, NY, USA. |
Other Transferred |
Debden, Saffron Walden, Essex CB11, UK | 13 October 1942 - 6 March 1944 | Transferred to the 334th FS, 4th FG, 8th AF USAAF. |
Other Prisoner of War (POW) |
Stalag Luft III Zagan, Poland | 6 March 1943 | Became a Prisoner of War. He escaped from his Stalag Luft III in March 1945 and returned to England. |
Other Promoted to 1st Lieutenant |
Debden, Saffron Walden, Essex CB11, UK | 23 April 1943 | Promoted to 1st Lieutenant 23-4-43. |
Other Crashed |
Debden, Saffron Walden, Essex CB11, UK | 19 June 1943 | Crashed Belly Landing Debden, P-47C 41-6191, Cat 3 damage, pilot Henry L Mills. 19-6-43. |
Other E/A Kills Total 2 |
16 August 1943 | Two Fw190 kills in P-47C 42-74751. | |
Other Designated Flight [B] Commander |
Debden, Saffron Walden, Essex CB11, UK | 10 September 1943 | Designated Flight Commander B Flight. 10-9-43. |
Other Designated Sqn Op's Officer |
Debden, Saffron Walden, Essex CB11, UK | 29 October 1943 | Designated Squadron Operations Officer 29-10-43, having been promoted to Captain earlier in the month. |
Other Promoted |
Debden, Saffron Walden, Essex CB11, UK | 1 March 1944 | Promoted to Major. |
Other Shot down |
Germany | 6 March 1944 | Shot down in P-51B 43-6690 QP-Q, his engine having failed, baled out immediately, becoming a POW. 6-3-44. MACR 3044. |
Other E/A Kill Total 6 |
Germany | 6 March 1944 | Downed his 6th and final enemy aircraft kill, an Fw190. |
Died |
LaBelle, FL 33935, USA | 26 April 2005 | Died 26 April 2005, LaBelle, FL. |
Other Joined RCAF |
Canada | Joined Royal Canadian Air Force. | |
Other Service training |
Tulsa, OK, USA | Underwent service pilot training. | |
Other Shipped overseas |
Merseyside, UK | Shipped overseas to ETO. | |
Other Operational training |
Great Britain, United Kingdom | Operational training at OTU. Conversion to Hurricane and Spitfires. | |
Other Assigned |
Debden, Saffron Walden, Essex CB11, UK | 29 September 1942 | Assigned to 71 [Eagle] squadron RAF. |
Other E/A Kill Total 5 |
France | Made Ace status. |
Revisions
Personal research & 'Eighty-One Aces of the 4th Fighter Group' by Frank Speer.
Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / MACR 3044 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database / Ted Damick, VIII Fighter Command pilots list / http://www.4thfightergroupassociation.org/pilots.html / son/ MACR 3044, Losses of the 8th & 9th Air Forces