Original Item: One-of-a-kind. Sergeant Kenneth A. Millar was a member of  C Company of the 635th Tank Destroyer Battalion who landed on Omaha Beach during the Normandy invasion on D-Day +2 (June 8th, 1944). He served the duration of the war fighting in the Battle of the Bulge, Aachen and crossing the Rhine into Germany earning numerous awards and citations.

635th Tank Destroyer Battalion was established 15 December, 1941, at Camp Robertson, Arkansas, from the 35th Infantry Division Antitank Battalion (Provisional).  Arrived Liverpool, England, on 19 February, 1944.  Landed at Omaha Beach on 8 June. Advanced through northern France and Belgium. Operated in Roetgen-Aachen sector and Hürtgen Forest during autumn. Transferred to Belgium on 22 December during Battle of the Bulge. Returned to Aachen area in January and supported drive toward Rhine River near Cologne. Transferred to Seventh Army and almost immediately to Third Army on 1 April, 1945. Crossed Rhine at Mannheim and advanced through central Germany to Austria.

The 635th played a major role in the Battle of the Bulge which is very well recounted at this wonder site. Here are some excerpts:

Summary for December 1944

The 635th Tank Destroyer Battalion (Towed) has been in the field since D plus 2 with no specified rest period other than in assembly areas, and a small percentage of officers and enlisted men on 48 hour and 72 hour passes to Paris, France, and Verviers, Belgium.  During our attachment to the 1st US Infantry Division Artillery through August 31st 1944, our firing companies have been under the control of the Division's Regimental Antitank Officers and generally were used to reinforce the organic regimental antitank defense.  Because of the nature of the operations, and the disorganization of enemy armor, we did not fire at any tanks.  In many instances, our gun platoons found themselves either on the infantry front line or in position in front of the infantry.  Our support of the 1st US Infantry Division entailed many fire fights with the enemy and we were subjected to considerable artillery shelling and bombing and strafing by enemy planes.  We received favorable commendation for our services with the 1st US Infantry Division from Commanding general, 1st US Infantry Division Artillery dated October 24,1944 with comparable endorsements by Commanding general, 1st US Infantry Division, and Commanding general, VII Corps.
 
Our attachment to the 4th Cavalry Group (Mechanized), become effective September 1st, l944 and we are currently attached to the same organization.  Our firing companies have been employed by the Squadron Commanders on their screening missions, against enemy patrol activity, combat patrols, observation patrols, outposts, road blocks, and dismounted as infantry.  Only during December in action against the enemy in Belgium were we able to prove our ability to perform our primary mission of destroying tanks.  In the fire fight which ensued at Humain, Belgium on December 25th, the 3rd platoon of Company A destroyed three (3) enemy Mark V tanks.
 
We were responsible for killing and/or putting out of action against our troops many of the enemy, and in previous reports have taken credit only for those of the enemy we were actually able to verify ourselves.  We are, however, positive we killed many more, particularly with our 3" gun fire.  In one instance alone during an indirect firing mission against enemy foot troops on the road to Schmidt, Germany, A, CP reported that dead and wounded enemy were hauled away for five hours.  We took 116 prisoners up to December 31st and took credit only for those of the enemy we captured independently of assistance.  Our 3" guns neutralized many enemy pillboxes and mortar batteries in action against our troops, destroyed machine gun nest, enemy armored, utility and horse-drawn vehicles, OPs, CPs and houses occupied by the enemy.  Our mission to destroy the enemy and his means of fighting our troops was effectively accomplished, and we enter the New Year with the same purpose in view and with even greater determination to do our share and more to gain victory against the Germans.

This incredible grouping named to Sergeant Kenneth A. Millar includes the following items:

- Ike Jacket with Tank Destroyer Patch on right shoulder, 14th Armored Division patch on left shoulder, ruptured duck patch, Belgian Fourragere shoulder cord, armored lapel pin and medals ribbons that include: Purple Heart, Good Conduct, European-African Middle East Campaign with arrow head and battle star.

- Standard Army issue wool shirt with Tank Destroyer Patch on left shoulder and ruptured duck patch.

- U.S. Army WWII Wool Balaclava (very important for the Battle of the Bulge!)

- 3 x original photos

- Purple heart in box

- High quality shadow box display of Millar's numerous WWII medals and awards.

- Commemorative Tank Destroyer plate that reads on the reverse 635th Tank Destroyer Battalion C-Co. Ken. Millar. Omaha-Beach-D-Day.

- Commemorative flag stand that read D-Day, June 6th 1944, Juno, Omaha, Utha, Sword, Gold

- Commemorative 635th marble pen holder that reads Ken & Ginny Millar.

- Battle of Normandy Foundation Wall of Liberty Certificate of Registration named to Sgt. Kenneth A. Millar

A truly amazing collection from a Normandy Invasion veteran who landed on Omaha Beach, fought in the entirety of the Battle of the Bulge and crossed the Rhine into Germany. Incredible!

Omaha, commonly known as Omaha Beach, was the code name for one of the five sectors of the Allied invasion of German-occupied France in the Normandy landings on 6 June 1944, during World War II. 'Omaha' refers to a section of the coast of Normandy, France, facing the English Channel 8 kilometers (5 mi) long, from east of Sainte-Honorine-des-Pertes to west of Vierville-sur-Mer on the right bank of the Douve River estuary. Landings here were necessary to link the British landings to the east at Gold with the American landing to the west at Utah, thus providing a continuous lodgement on the Normandy coast of the Bay of the Seine. Taking Omaha was to be the responsibility of United States Army troops, with sea transport, mine sweeping, and a naval bombardment force provided predominantly by the United States Navy and Coast Guard, with contributions from the British, Canadian, and Free French navies.

On D-Day, the untested 29th Infantry Division, along with nine companies of U.S. Army Rangers redirected from Pointe du Hoc, were to assault the western half of the beach. The battle-hardened 1st Infantry Division was given the eastern half. The initial assault waves, consisting of tanks, infantry, and combat engineer forces, were carefully planned to reduce the coastal defenses and allow the larger ships of the follow-up waves to land.

The primary objective at Omaha was to secure a beachhead of eight kilometres (5 miles) depth, between Port-en-Bessin and the Vire River, linking with the British landings at Gold to the east, and reaching the area of Isigny to the west to link up with VII Corps landing at Utah. Opposing the landings was the German 352nd Infantry Division. Of the 12,020 men of the division, 6,800 were experienced combat troops, detailed to defend a 53-kilometer (33 mi) front. The Germans were largely deployed in strongpoints along the coast—the German strategy was based on defeating any seaborne assault at the water line.

Very little went as planned during the landing at Omaha. Difficulties in navigation caused the majority of landing craft to miss their targets throughout the day. The defenses were unexpectedly strong, and inflicted heavy casualties on landing U.S. troops. Under heavy fire, the engineers struggled to clear the beach obstacles; later landings bunched up around the few channels that were cleared. Weakened by the casualties taken just in landing, the surviving assault troops could not clear the heavily defended exits off the beach. This caused further problems and consequent delays for later landings. Small penetrations were eventually achieved by groups of survivors making improvised assaults, scaling the bluffs between the most heavily defended points. By the end of the day, two small isolated footholds had been won, which were subsequently exploited against weaker defenses further inland, thus achieving the original D-Day objectives over the following days.