Original Items: One Of A Kind. During the Second World War, the 30th Infantry Division had a Second Lieutenant serving with the 230th Field Artillery Regiment, his name was Donald Clark Mills (ASN:01178898). When Mills enlisted in the Army in 1941, he had no idea that in 1944 he would make a heroic decision that not only mortally wounded him, but silenced the enemy and preserved the lives of the men in his charge. His actions on 22 November 1944 would earn him the Distinguished Service Cross in recognition of his unwavering selfless commitment to his duty as a soldier. He didn’t stop there, he continued his selfless acts up into the close of the war, earning himself a Silver Star and a Purple Heart.

Donald Mills served in the United States Military for over 27 years! He served in the United States Army from 1941 to 1946 and then the Air Force from 1950 to 1969. He served a long and honorable career in the military, never bringing discredit upon himself or the uniform he wore.

This grouping consists of the following:
Case Distinguished Service Cross: The medal appears to be a replacement medal and does not have a name or number engraved that we can find. Inside the presentation box is the medal, a bit of ribbon with the same colors and pattern of the DSC, inside the box is also a 30th Infantry Division patch, which appears to have been on a uniform, but remains in near perfect condition.

- (2) Original Citations and (2) Copies of the Citations: These are not for Mills alone. There are a few names above and below him that also received the DSC and the Silver Star. Both papers are original and somewhat delicate from age. They are both dated for 1945.

- 230th Field Artillery Regiment Book: On the inside cover it appears to be an envelope mailing label from Donald Mills, using this as a method of claiming his ownership to the book. The book is titled “ON THE WAY” and is a historical narrative of the “Two-Thirtieth” Field Artillery Battalion of the “Thirtieth” Infantry Division from 16 February 1942 - 8 May 1945.

- Photograph of Mills: The picture is of Mills in his later years at a 30th Division reunion in 2002-03 in North Carolina.

- 30th Infantry Division “Scrap” Book: It is titled as a scrapbook but it’s more like a unit newspaper. This is Volume 1, Number 1 and is titled as “Somewhere In Europe - February - 1945. The paper is somewhat delicate and to keep from damaging it we haven't opened it up too much to look at the contents.

The following are his citations:

Distinguished Service Cross

“The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross to Second Lieutenant (Field Artillery) Donald C. Mills (ASN: 0-1178898), United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations against an armed enemy while serving with the 230th Field Artillery Battalion, 30th Infantry Division, in action against enemy forces on 22 November 1944. On that date, in 1944, Lieutenant Mills, as a forward artillery observer, led his party into an enemy-held town and established his observation post on the third floor of a building. When his position was observed by the enemy, he was subjected to heavy tank and mortar fire and was painfully wounded. Ordering the other members of his party to a lower floor, Lieutenant Mills continued directing fire upon the enemy, eventually calling for fire so close to his own position that his observation post was hit by friendly fire. Second Lieutenant Mills' intrepid actions, personal bravery and zealous devotion to duty exemplify the highest traditions of the military forces of the United States and reflect great credit upon himself, his unit, and the United States Army.”

Silver Star Medal

“First Lieutenant Donald C. Mills, 01178898, Field Artillery, 230th Field Artillery Battalion, United States Army, for gallantry in action from 27 March 1945 to 28 March 1945, in Germany, Lieutenant Mills and his assistant observer unhesitatingly exposed themselves to heavy enemy fire to occupy an observation post in a building. Although shell fragments flew dangerously close, Lieutenant Mills and his companion calmly remained at their post and directed artillery fire which eventually silenced the enemy. Lieutenant Mills’ gallant action reflects great credit upon himself and the Armed Forces.

This is a wonderful grouping attributed to a true American hero! Comes ready to research and display.

The 30th Infantry Division was a unit of the Army National Guard in World War I and World War II. It was nicknamed the "Old Hickory" division, in honor of President Andrew Jackson. The Germans nicknamed this division "Roosevelt's SS". The 30th Infantry Division was regarded by a team of historians led by S.L.A. Marshall as the number one American infantry division in the European Theater of Operations (ETO), involved in 282 days of intense combat over a period from June 1944 through April 1945. In the present day the 30th Armored Brigade Combat Team is now a part of the North Carolina National Guard and their most recent combat deployment was in 2019.