Gentry L. Milhorn

Pre-Overseas Deployment

Gentry Lavern "Bud" Milhorn, Senior Class, 1938, Polytechnic High School, Long Beach, California.
(Ancestry.com)

What's In A Name?

Gentry Lavern Milhorn always disliked his given name. When he was a young boy a playmate began calling him ""Buddy"". That name stuck, and he used ""Bud"" as his first name for the rest of his life. Thus, various references to him throughout this page may call him Gentry ""Bud"" Milhorn, or just plain ""Bud"".

In addition, he is pictured with an A-26B aircraft (43-22356, 5C-C) with ""Buddy"" painted on the nose. No one is sure if this plane is actually named after Lt. Milhorn and no records have been found to substantiate the reason for the name. However, he did pilot this specific airplane on 15 of his 40 combat missions. Coincidence, or not?

WWII DraftRegistration
(Ancestry.com)

WWII DraftRegistration (rear)
(Ancestry.com)

Aviation Cadet Gentry L. Milhorn. (Photo likely taken soon after induction in February, 1943)

Aviation Cadet Gentry L. Milhorn at Stockton Field, California. (Photograph taken between October 1 & December 4, 1943)

Back of photograph of Aviation Cadet Gentry L. Milhorn at Stockton Field, California. (Photo taken between October 1 & December 4, 1943)

Aviation Cadet Gentry L. Milhorn. (Photo taken between February 23 & December 5,1943)

Lt. Gentry and Ethel Milhorn at Stockton Field Cadet's Club after flight school graduation and commissioning as 2nd Lt. - December 5, 1943

Lt. Gentry "Bud" Milhorn & wife Ethel, on or shortly after December 5, 1943.

They were married on November 25, 1943, just 10 days before Lt. Milhorn received his wings & commission. Bud & Ethel always considered this to be their official wedding portrait.

Combat Crew at Field Replacement Training Unit (FRTU), Florence, South Carolina, 25-Aug-1944. L-R Sergeant Daniel Chest, Lt. Gentry Milhorn, Corporal Michael Doran

416th Bomb Group

A-20, 43-9956, 5C-Z, 10-Jul-1944
(Cachat photo)

A-20, 43-9956, 5C-Z that Gentry Milhorn was shot down in October 13, 1944

Staff Sergeant Daniel Chest, Laon, France, Date Unknown

Training Mission Goes Awry
Staff Sergeant Daniel Chest Awarded
Soldier's Medal for Heroism

The three man ""Combat Crew at Field Replacement Training Unit, Florence, South Carolina"" (pictured in the Pre-Overseas Deployment section above) were still together in France and were flying on a training mission when their A-20 aircraft was hit by flak from German artillery near Dunkirk. The date was Friday, October 13, 1944, just two days before Lt. Milhorn's 24th birthday.

When it was apparent that the plane was going down, Lt. Milhorn ordered his crew to bail out. Cpl. Michael Doran had suffered a badly injured leg from enemy flak and required assistance from Sgt. Daniel Chest (pictured to the left of this sidebar) to parachute from the plane. General Orders No. 11 (posted to the right) attests to the bravery of Staff Sergeant Chest and awards him the Soldier's Medal for heroism in saving the life of Cpl. Doran. The pilot, Lt. Gentry Milhorn, also parachuted to safety, escaping the flaming aircraft with burns to his face and neck. Both Lt. Milhorn and Cpl. Doran were awarded the Purple Heart for their wounds.

(Continued)

Lt. Milhorn went on to fly 40 combat missions over Germany & Czechoslovakia before the Germans surrendered in early May, 1945. Sgt. Chest flew a total of 28 combat missions, all of which were piloted by Lt. Milhorn.

Cpl. Doran required extensive recovery time from his wounds. He returned to the 671st Bomb Squad just in time to fly two missions with Lt. Milhorn (Mission #269 & Mission #284). Lt. Milhorn and Sgt. Chest flew their final mission together (Mission #285) on May 3, 1945. This was also the final combat mission for the 416th Bomb Group in World War II, as Germany officially surrendered on May 7, 1945.

See also October 13, 1944 Incident Summary.

Daniel Chest Soldier's Medal Award - May 23 1945

L-R Lts. Joseph Lackovich & Robert Basnett
Melun-Villaroche, Fall of 1944

Christmas Card (provided by 9th Bombardment Division) sent home by Lt. Milhorn - 1944 (front of card)

Christmas Card (provided by 9th Bombardment Division) sent home by Lt. Milhorn - 1944 (right panel inside of card)

Gentry Milhorn - Living Quarters - France, Location & Date Unknown

Two Unidentified Men, Date Unknown

Two Unidentified Men, Date Unknown (zoom)

Squadron D (671st) Operations Shack, Airfield & Date Unknown

Operations Building - Laon Air Field
(see also "May 2, 1945 Operations" Cachat Photo)

Jeep Used By Gentry Milhorn At The Front, Laon, France

Jeep Used By Gentry Milhorn At The Front, Laon, France (rear caption)

L-R: Lts. James Hanway, Bob Basnett, Gentry Milhorn, Laon, France

L-R: Lts. James Hanway, Bob Basnett, Gentry Milhorn, Laon, France (rear caption)

L-R: Unidentified Officer, Lts. James Hanway (?), Gentry Milhorn, Laon, France

Six Planes in Flight, Laon, France, Date Unknown

Always time for a snapshot. Even enroute to the latrine.

A-26 Cockpit, photo by Lt. Gentry Milhorn

Lt. Gentry Milhorn & Buddy (A-26B, 43-22356, 5C-C)

Jesse Smith & Leon Pledger & Buddy (A-26B, 43-22356, 5C-C)

Jesse Smith & Leon Pledger & Buddy (A-26B, 43-22356, 5C-C) (rear caption)

Long Beach, California newspaper article reporting Lt. Gentry Milhorn's trip to the front lines at Weimar & Weiden, Germany. Published in the Long Beach Press-Telegram, May 27, 1945.

Furlough in Paris

1st Lt. Gentry Milhorn (center) in the Trocadero Garden, Paris - 1945. The statue is La Jeunesse (Youth) by Pierre Poisson

Arc de Triomphe on a casual day, Paris - 1945

Eiffel Tower, Paris - 1945

Uninidentified pilot at the Fountaine de Varsovie with the Palais de Chaillot in background, Paris - 1945

Palais de Chaillot viewed from Pont d'lena (Jena Bridge), Paris - 1945

Street scene with marching soldiers and civilians in Parisian finery, Paris - 1945

Unknown official with armed escort , Paris - 1945

Individual Flight Records (IFR) 1943-1945

IFR May-July 1943

IFR July-September 1943

IFR July-September 1943 (back side)

IFR October-November 1943

IFR December 1943

IFR December 1943

IFR January 1944

IFR February 1944

IFR May 1944

IFR June 1944

IFR July 1944

IFR August 1944

IFR October 1944

IFR Novemver 1944

IFR December 1944

IFR January 1945

IFR February 1945

IFR March 1945

IFR April 1945

IFR May 1945 (Date error on form - should be May 1945)

IFR June 1945

IFR July 1945

IFR August 1945

Record Of Combat Missions
Page #1

Record Of Combat Missions
Page #2

Official Orders 1943-1945

Special Orders No. 275
December 5 1943

Special Orders No. 45
February 20 1944

Special Orders No. 95
April 4 1944

Special Orders No. 250
September 6 1944

General Orders No. 21 - Purple Heart Award
October 23 1944

Redeployment Training Hours Certificate
July 15 1945

Redeployment Flight Certificate - July 15 1945

Special Orders No. 82
Crews and A/C to ferry back to USA
July 17 1945
(Garland D. Murphy Jr. Photo Collection)

Special Orders No. 82
Crews and A/C to ferry back to USA
July 17 1945
(Garland D. Murphy Jr. Photo Collection)

Personnel Roster Hunter Field Georgia #500-20
August 17 1945

Special Orders No. 17
August 17 1945

SPTAC-TMD 370.5
August 18 1945

Special Orders No. 50
August 24 1945

Special Orders No. 95
October 8 1945

Special Orders No. 97
October 10 1945 - Page 1

Special Orders No. 97
October 10 1945 - Page 2

Lt. Gentry Milhorn Separation Record
November 12 1945

Certificates

Army Air Corps Training Center Pilot's Diploma - Gentry L. Milhorn - December 5 1943

Caterpillar Club Membership Certificate - Gentry L. Milhorn

Official appointment of Gentry Lavern Milhorn to First Lieutenant, October 10, 1945. (He was actually promoted to First Lieutenant (temporary grade) on, or about, April 1, 1945, during his service as a combat pilot flying missions over Germany.)

Army Air Forces Certificate of Appreciation to Gentry L. Milhorn

Post-War

L-R: 1st Lt Lawrence Edstrom, 1st Lt Gentry Milhorn, Capt Jack Buskirk, Fountain Lounge, New Orleans, 1945. Likely taken during travel from East-to-West Coast for release from service.

Three Pilots in New Orleans
August, 1945

Lt. Lawrence Edstrom, Lt. Gentry Milhorn & Capt. Jack Buskirk (pictured to the left) all served as A-26 bomber pilots during the time period from November 17, 1944 through May 3, 1945. All were assigned to the 416th Bombardment Group, 671st Bomb Squad. They collectively flew 107 combat missions during the time they were stationed in France.

Lt. Milhorn flew a total of 40 combat missions, 11 of which were with Capt. Buskirk, and 10 missions with Lt. Edstrom. All three were together on four of the missions. These men lived, worked, and fought the enemy together for over six months of their lives with the common goal of defeating the Germans. On May 7, 1945 that goal was reached. Then, as they were preparing to join the U.S. Army Air Force in the Pacific Theater, Japan surrendered on August 15, 1945, thus ending World War II. By late August they were heading home to return to their families and to civilian life. This photograph, taken in late August, 1945 at a hotel lounge in New Orleans, Louisiana, was probably the last time this trio was together.

L-R: 1st Lt Lawrence Edstrom, 1st Lt Gentry Milhorn, Capt Jack Buskirk, Fountain Lounge, New Orleans, 1945 (Photo Cover)