SEC 2 color 26
Western Lakes & Mountains Region
What Did Lewis Millett Really Do In Korea? Western Maine’s Medal of Honor recipient by Robert Kanehl
A
small picture of an army plaque hangs in Mechanic Falls’ Town Hall. The plaque located on Hill #180 in South Korea tells the following tale: “On this site, Company E of the 27th Infantry Regiment was pinned down and surrounded by 300 enemy soldiers. Out of ammunition, Captain Lewis Millet (sic) led the remainder of Company E on a bayonet charge, killing 47 and wounding 61 enemy soldiers, regaining control of the hill. Captain Millet (sic) received the Medal of Honor for heroism. It was one of the fiercest battles of the Korean War.” The plaque is attached to a rock on the top of the hill, and each year at the site a memori-
al service is held by both American and South Korean officials. The wording leads the reader to picture a parallel in history to another Mainer, Joshua Chamberlain, and his actions in the charge of the 20th Maine at Gettysburg. One can almost see the 6-foot slim Millett (actually spelled Millett) surrounded by dead and wounded comrades, faced with the desperate situation, jumping in front of his men, and shouting “Fix Bayonets – Charge!”, echoing the actions and words of 90 years earlier on Little Round Top. This, however, is far from the truth.
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Lewis Millett was born in Mechanic Falls, December 15, 1920, and spent his childhood traveling throughout New England. Despite this relocation there was always a weak spot in his heart for the small community west of Auburn. Here he was raised on tales of his Uncle Roland Ranlett, who had served in the First World War. In fact, one of his early memories is being taken to Fort Devens, Massachusetts to see his Uncle dressed as a soldier. “I always worshiped him,” Millett recalled. “And so I joined the National Guard as soon as I could.” His love for the military life was further enhanced by Civil War
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