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Korean War Congressional Medal of Honor Recipient
Captain Lewis Lee Millett, US Army
Col. Lewis Millett
The Honorary Colonel
of the
27th Infantry Regiment
 Lewis 'Red' Millett was born on December 15, 1920 in Mechanic Falls, Maine. He joined the National Guard at the age of seventeen with the 101st field Artillery Massachusetts national Guard. In 1940, PFC Millett enlisted in the Army Air Corps serving as a air gunner. After two years, he joined the Canadian Army. In 1942, Millett enlisted in the Army where he served with the 1st Armored division. After serving in various positions and attaining the rank of sergeant, Millett received a battlefield commission. Following World War Two, Millett joined the 103rd Infantry, Maine National Guard. He served with the 103rd for four years before joining the 27th Infantry Regiment "Wolfhounds" in Japan.
As a member of the Wolfhound Regiment, Millett deployed to Korea where he served with valor and distinction. While serving as commander of Easy Company he led a bayonet charge against heavily fortified enemy positions earning the nations highest military award, the Medal of Honor. Easy Company killed forty-seven while another sixty had reportedly been wounded and evacuated off the hill during the battle. Of the dead, eighteen died of bayonet wounds.
Following Captain Millett's service in Korea , he was assigned to the Continental Army command as Aide de Camp and then as Training and Operations Officer for the Military Advisor Group. In 1956, Millett attended the Infantry Officers Advanced Course and Ranger School as a Major. Following his stay at Fort Benning he was assigned to the 101st Airborne Division where he founded the Recondo School.
Millett became heavily involved in the Special Operations community following his service with the 101st. He helped establish the Vietnamese Ranger School and the Commando training program in Laos before moving to the Command and General Staff College. Colonel Millett retired in 1973 after serving as the Deputy Commander of the 2nd Corps.
Colonel Millett's awards include the Medal of Honor, Distinguished Service Cross, Silver Star, Legion of Merit (with 2 oak leaf clusters), Air Medal (with numeral 2), Purple Heart (with 3 oak leaf clusters), Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry and Vietnam Campaign Ribbon among others.
Medal of Honor Citation
MILLETT, LEWIS L.
RANK AND ORGANIZATION: Captain, U.S. Army, Company E,27th Infantry Regiment.
BORN: 15 December 1920, Mechanic Falls, Maine.
ENTERED SERVICE AT:Mechanic Falls, Maine.
PLACE AND DATE: Vicinity of Soam-Ni, Korea, 7 February 1951.
CITATION:
Capt. Millett, Company E, distinguished himself by conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty in action. While personally leading his company in an attack against a strongly held position he noted that the 1st Platoon was pinned down by small-arms, automatic, and antitank fire. Capt. Millett ordered the 3d Platoon forward, placed himself at the head of the 2 platoons, and, with fixed bayonet, led the assault up the fire swept hill. In the fierce charge Capt. Millett bayoneted 2 enemy soldiers and boldly continued on, throwing grenades, clubbing and bayoneting the enemy, while urging his men forward by shouting encouragement. Despite vicious opposing fire, the whirlwind hand-to-hand assault carried to the crest of the hill. His dauntless leadership and personal courage so inspired his men that they stormed into the hostile position and used their bayonets with such lethal effect that the enemy fled in wild disorder. During this fierce onslaught Capt. Millett was wounded by grenade fragments but refused evacuation until the objective was taken and firmly secured. The superb leadership, conspicuous courage, and consummate devotion to duty demonstrated by Capt. Millett were directly responsible for the successful accomplishment of a hazardous mission and reflect the highest credit on himself and the heroic traditions of the military service.
AMERICAN COL. MILLETT SALUTES SOUTH KOREAN PAIK IN SEOUL
Colonel Lewis L. Millett (2nd R), a Korean War Medal of Honor recipient salutes to Paik Sun-yup (2nd L), former chairman of the Republic of Korea (ROK) Joint Chiefs of Staff after he was presented the Korean War Service Medal at U.S. Army base in Seoul June 5. Seven Korean War Medal of Honor recipients were presented on the eve of South Korea's Memorial Day the Korean War Service Medals. Some 37,000 U.S. troops are stationed in South Korea as South Korea remains technically at war after 1950-53 Korean War ended in an armed truce. ljw/Photo by Lee Jae-won REUTERS
Osan Air Base, South Korea, October 6, 1975: Medal of Honor recipient Lewis L. Millett, left, describes the Korean War battle for "Hill 180" to Col. Richard W. Phillips, Jr., 51st Composite Wing vice commander. On Feb. 7, 1951, Millett then a captain in command of E Co., 27th Infantry Regiment led a bayonet charge through machine-gun and antitank gun fire from entrenched Chinese and North Korean troops that resulted in the capture of the hill. "The Chinese had put out the word that we were afraid of bayonets," the Mechanic Falls, Maine, native recalled. "'Americans afraid of bayonets' is just ridiculous, I thought, so I intended to prove a point." He then rallied "The Wolfhounds" with the order to "fix bayonets and follow me." Tae Won Chung Stars and Stripes
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