230th Field Artillery
Battery B
1st Lt. Donald C. Mills
230th Field Artillery
Battery B
(Special thanks to Greg Acken for
sharing his photos for all to enjoy)
Winner of the Distinguished Service Cross
for action Nov. 23rd, 1944 in Lohn, Germany
Photo of Lt. Mills and Mike Owens of the Old Hickory Association (OHA) at the
30th IDA reunion in Fayetteville, NC. The Iron Cross around Lt. Mills neck
was given to him by a soldier in his platoon. He was wearing it in memory
of him. Quote Mr. Owens, "Don was one Hell of a Guy".
(click on photo to enlarge)
Early Photos
2nd Lt., 1943
The 230th was located at Langendorf, Germany in December, 1944 (map above).
After a rest in Belgium the 230th returned to Langendorf on the 11th of
December, ready for a long rest and the celebration of Christmas. That was
not to be!! Below a photo of Cpl. Clark A. Gilbert Bat. A and a Lt. Mockenin at
Langendorf just before the Bulge.
Capt. Andrew T. Pucalik, HQ of McKeesport, PA and Capt. Edward J. McArdle
Btry A, New York (Queens) at Langendorf Dec/44 before our trip to the Bulge.
Malmedy Photos
Battle of the Bulge
Click on map for approximate location of the four 230th Batteries...A,B,C,D.
Major Clements, HQ staff, Savannah, GA at Bernister, Belgium just north of Malmedy. See Bernister on map above near Battery A.
Ferme Libert ("Liberty Farm"), Bernister, Belgium. Lt. Mills had his
headquarters in this farm house. It is now a Hotel/Restaurant specializing
in venison, which is raised right there on the farm. The daughter of the
original owner still operates this facility. Maybe someone can locate on
map or take a Now
photo.
Capt. McArdle with two Belgies near Bernister, north of Malmedy...Dec. 44.
Lt. Anthonio C. Moschetta, Btry. A near Bernister, Belgium north of Malmedy....Dec. 44.
Catholic Chaplin in Bernister.
Bernister, Belgium....Dec. 44. Donald's note: "Some snow huh Bud."
Near Bernister and Ferme Libert, Belgium Dec. 44.
Near Bernister...Dec. 44.
Ralph C. Finn, HQ, Northampston, MA; Richard H. Kissel, Btry B, Huntingdon,
TN; Maxwell R. Puttlitz, Btry B, Charlotte, NC; James M. Reardon, Brty B,
Effingham, IL; Norman J. Winkler, Brty B, E. Boston, MA at Malmedy, Jan. 45.
Kath Thomas and Family, Malmedy.
Norman S. Locke, Btry A, Louisville, KY
On January 14th positions near Geromont were surveyed in. The 120th had advanced and had cleared the ridge on which the notorious Five Points, a major crossroads, was situated. On the edge of a field stood a simple sign, "Off Limits". Under the soft mantle of snow lay the bodies of American Soldiers. (230th History Book)
Lt. Mills at Geromont, Belgium, Jan. 45.
Locke at Geromont.
Frank P. Lewis, HQ, Capt. Bouchlas' Liason at Geromont.
Robert L. McClanahan, Btry A, Clinton, NC at Geromont...Jan. 45.
Locke at Geromont.
John W. Waggoner, Btry A, Rusk, TX; Bill J. Ferriter, Btry A, Springfield, MA.
Capt. Michael S. Bouchlas, Btry C, Tarpon Springs, FL; McClanahan; Lock;
Capt. Merrill S. Alexander, Btry B, High Springs, FL.
On January 17th we displaced to Ligneuville, site of a vital bridge-crossing. The battalion CP, in a Butcher Shop, was set up within "spitting distance" of the bridge and of a crossroad nearby.
McClanahan & Mills at Ligneuville.
Daniel C. Garrott, Btry B, Mayfield, KY; George W. Hill, Jr., Btry B,
Gardner, MA; Glenn A. Louis, Btry B, Chicago, IL.
Just before the Rhine River Crossing the 230th was displaced in Rhineberg, Germany. (See Map Below)
AT RHINEBERG, GERMANY just before Rhine Crossing
Fred Guimond, Btry B, Norwich, CN; William G. Mobley, Btry B, Savannah, GA;
Paul C. Roe, Btry B, Crestline, OH at Rhineberg, Germany...just before Rhine
River crossing...late March.
Mobley
Roe
Guimond & Roe
Roe
Roe & Smith
Mobley & Glen Merchant, Btry B, Plana, IL
Guimond
Merchant; Vernon Sidenbender, Btry B, Evansville, IL;
William Blocker, Brty B, Columbia, TN; Francis Berwanger, Btry B, Chicago, IL
Merchant
Sgt. Eugene Gavin, Btry B, Savannah, GA
Berwanger
Guimond, Blocker, Sidenbender
James Reardon, Btry B, Effingham, IL & Gavin
Joseph Cimabrone, Btry B, Brooklyn & Reardon
Guimond & Roe
Guimond
Roe & Merchant
Reardon & Guimond
Richard Kissell, Btry B, Huntingdon, TN & Guimond
Purple Heart Corner (Hot Box
Corner)
March 26th & 27th
Map, Story and Photos below:
(Purple Heart Corner-Yellow Circle Highlight)
Story from the 120th History Book:
Louis A. Cesario, Btry B, Chicago; D. Mills; Joseph 'Butterball' A. Melchiore,
Btry B, Philly, PA
"Big Gun at PH Corner
Charles B. Tarrant, Btry B, Chicago on GUN
Glenn A. Louis, Btry B, Chicago
Morris W. Trammell, Btry B, Lexington, KY; Louis; Joseph Pekar, Btry B,
Scranton, PA
Melchiore, Louis, Pekar, Tarrant
Buford 'Grumpy' Trantham, Btry B, Canton, NC; Melchiore; Pekar
William B. Mobley, BB, Savannah GA; Melchiore; Max A. Hunt, BB, Portland, MI;
Thomas J. Stringfellow, Jr., BB, Philadelphia, PA.
Back-Seabron J. Griffith, BB, Savannah, GA; Stringfellow; Richard H. Kissel,
BB, Huntingdon, TN; Lloyd C. Texel, BB Marathon, WI; Front- Melchiore; Robert J.
Garon, BB, Menominee, MI
Texel; Louis; Anthony F. Flis, BB, Chicago; Fred W. Hardee, BB, Savannah, GA;
Boleslaw E. Nowak, BB, Toledo, OH; in back-Donald L. Millerin, BB, Joliet, IL
Back-Millerin; James R. Gratto, BB Vassalboro, ME; Hardee; Melchiore;
Front-??; Stringfellow; Flis
Back-Melchiore; Glenn R. Strandberg, BB, Galva, IA; Stringfellow; Flis;
Millerin; Front-Texel; Romeo Doyon, BB Augusta, ME; Nowak; Edward G. Ciucevich,
BB, Savannah, GA
Grohnde, Germany
South of Hamelin, April 6th-9th
John T. Clark, Jr., BB, Lancaster, SC; Gratto
Texel; Vernon V. Sidenbender, Jr., BB Evansville, IN; Fred M. Hardee, BB,
Savannah, GA; Samuel A. Fidell, BB, New Castle, PA
Louis Glen
Flis
Texel
Harry Cannon, Aqua, TN
Leo Calderon, BB, Chicago...with the Baker 8 bucket.
Fidell; Eugene A.Gavin, BB, Savannah, GA; Glen M. Merchant, BB, Plana, IL
Cannon; Norman M. Tester, BB, Rominger, NC; Doyon
Elmer Wiegert, BB, Elwood, IN; Trammell; Alfred O. Guimond, in window, BB,
KIA, Norwich, CN
Trammell
Henry T. Michaelsen, BB, Astoria, NY; Michael J. F. Treacy, BB, Corona NY;
Ciucevich; Calderon; Guimond; Garon; Buford C. Trantham, BB, Canton, NC
Back-Fred F. Mitchell, BB, Dallas, TX; Gavin; Clarence F. Goebel, BB, Royal,
NE; Millerin; Front-Ciucevich; Thomas J. Heslip, BB, Ardmore, PA; Ernest P.
Danzero, BB, Joliet, IL; Clarence W. Sterner, BB, Jonestown, PA
Front- Mills; Louis; Guimond Back-Ciucevich; Calderon; Wiegert; Garon;
Trantham
Salzhemmendorf, Germany
April, 1945
Lt. Donald Mills
Fred Guimond, Mill's GOOD BUDDY!!! This photo was taken April
9th...on April 15th, Fred Guimond was killed by Jerry fighters strafing and
dropping antipersonal bombs at Barleban, Germany.
Ciucevich
Osborne E. Brown, BB Greer, SC
Norbert W. Marbach, BB, Washington, IA; Calderon; Guimond
Marbach; Calderon; Ciucevich
Barleben, Germany
April/May 1945
Dan C. Garrott, BB, Mayfield, KY; Calderon; Louis
William A. Rainbolt, BB, Kingsville, TN; Garrott; Calderon
Back-Maxwell R. Puttlitz, BB, Long Island; Garon Front- Ciucevich;
Calderon; Sasser; Griffith
Samuel A. Fidell, BB, New Castle, PA; Stringfellow; Pekar; Robert B. Lape,
BB, Rochester, NY
Edward J. Vitigoj, BB, Cleveland, OH; Trammell; Garon; Rainbolt; Pekar
Sasser; Albert J. Kopaska, BB, Guthrie Center, IA; Norman J. Winkler, BB,
Mackinaw, IL
Fidell; Flis
Ciucevich; Griffith
Calderon
Back-Garon; Louis; Merchant Front-Ciucevich; Donovan; Griffith
Back-Ciucevich; Calderon; Griffith Front-Rainbolt; Louis A. Cesario,
BB, Chicago, IL
John J. McShane, Jr., BB, Philadelphia; Gratto; Sasser; Merchant; Kissel;
Garrett
George A. Schmidt, BB, Columbus, OH; Marbach; Gagnon; Hugh R. Shelton, BB,
Clarksville, TN; Leo R. Provencher, BB, Auburn, ME; Glenn Maples, BB, Walland,
TN; James E. Moore, BB, Fayetteville, TN; John T. Clarke, Jr., BB, Lancaster, SC
William V. Blocker, BB, Columbia, TN; ???
Calderon
Rainbolt
Various photos with unknown dates/places
Louis; Zeilstra; Griffith
Robert L. Bringle, BB, Beaufort, SC at Gross Rosenberg
Ward; Mills;Gratto; ??; Bringle; Sasser; Garon; Roe; Brown; Rainbolt; ??;
Calderon; Merchant
Lt. Gene A. Barthelme, Brty C, St. Marie, IL; Lt. James R. Vereen, Btry C,
Perry, FL
????
Zeilstra
Bledsoe; Finn; Cornell; Blocker; Grey; Russ Beard
Sgt. Brown; Danzero; Lampe; Moore; Desposito; Stringfellow; Pekar; Hardy;
Fidell; Dallas; Burwanger; Hull; Nixon; Provencher; back of Desposito
Lt. Donald Mills..end of war...on back of photo; "I sorta aged a bit don't
you think?"
Lt. Donald Mills...taken at Hohenwarte, Germany..June 24th, 1945
