MILLS, JAMES H. - Medal of Honor Recipient
Rank and organization: Private, U.S. Army, Company F, 15th Infantry,
3d Infantry Division. Place and date: Near Cisterna di Littoria, Italy,
24 May 1944. Entered service at: Fort Meade, Fla. Birth: Fort Meade, Fla.
G.O. No.: 87, 14 November 1944. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and
intrepidity at risk of life above and beyond the call of duty. Pvt. Mills,
undergoing his baptism of fire, preceded his platoon down a draw to reach
a position from which an attack could be launched against a heavily fortified
strongpoint. After advancing about 300 yards, Pvt. Mills was fired on by
a machinegun only S yards distant. He killed the gunner with 1 shot and
forced the surrender of the assistant gunner. Continuing his advance, he
saw a German soldier in a camouflaged position behind a large bush pulling
the pin of a potato-masher grenade. Covering the German with his rifle,
Pvt. Mills forced him to drop the grenade and captured him. When another
enemy soldier attempted to throw a hand grenade into the draw, Pvt. Mills
killed him with 1 shot. Brought under fire by a machinegun, 2 machine pistols,
and 3 rifles at a range of only 50 feet, he charged headlong into the furious
chain of automatic fire shooting his M 1 from the hip. The enemy was completely
demoralized by Pvt. Mills' daring charge, and when he reached a point within
10 feet of their position, all 6 surrendered. As he neared the end of the
draw, Pvt. Mills was brought under fire by a machinegunner 20 yards distant.
Despite the fact that he had absolutely no cover, Pvt. Mills killed the
gunner with 1 shot. Two enemy soldiers near the machinegunner fired wildly
at Pvt. Mills and then fled. Pvt. Mills fired twice, killing 1 of the enemy.
Continuing on to the position, he captured a fourth soldier. When it became
apparent that an assault on the strongpoint would in all probability cause
heavy casualties on the platoon, Pvt. Mills volunteered to cover the advance
down a shallow ditch to a point within 50 yards of the objective. Standing
on the bank in full view of the enemy less than 100 yards away, he shouted
and fired his rifle directly into the position. His ruse worked exactly
as planned. The enemy centered his fire on Pvt. Mills. Tracers passed within
inches of his body, rifle and machine pistol bullets ricocheted off the
rocks at his feet. Yet he stood there firing until his rifle was empty.
Intent on covering the movement of his platoon, Pvt. Mills jumped into
the draw, reloaded his weapon, climbed out again, and continued to lay
down a base of fire. Repeating this action 4 times, he enabled his platoon
to reach the designated spot undiscovered, from which position it assaulted
and overwhelmed the enemy, capturing 22 Germans and taking the objective
without casualties.
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