229830 Capt. Milton "Mickey" Becket United States Army 45th Infantry Division 179th Infantry Regiment from:Berwyn, PA Milton Becket was assigned to Company A, 179th Infantry Regiment, 45th Infantry Division, the Thunderbirds. The regiment was sent to Sicily in 1943 for the beginning of the invasion of Italy. It fought its way up the coast, captured Naples, and in 1944 joined the Allied Anzio Campaign to oust the German army from Rome. Allied forces took possession of the city on 4th of June 1944.
Milton was wounded in action, but returned to battle.
The regiment then was ordered to France and advanced into Germany. It captured Aschaffenburg, Nuremberg, and Munich.
They crossed the Rhine River into Germany "All you could hear were the motors. We started across the beach, and whango, the fireworks opened up. Machine guns and rifles banged away. We had orders not to get pinned down, so my squad kept going."
Milton received three Purple Hearts for wounds sustained on 10th of March and 6th of May 1944, in Italy, and 26th of Sept. 1944, in France.
He also was awarded the Bronze Star Medal for meritorious achievement during the fighting in Italy and the Chevalier of the French Legion of Honor for his service in defense of France.
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