Envelope, HQ Battery, 136th AAA Gn Bn

M/Sgt Henry H. Milson

Master Sergeant
Henry H. Milson

M/Sgt. Henry H. Milson

HQ Battery - 136th AAA Battalion

Henry Heinz Milson was born on January 14, 1919 in East Prussia, Germany to Augusta Gretzinger (1888–1973), age 31, unknown father.

Henry H. Milson entered the service on January 19, 1942 at Fort Custer, Michigan. The Morning Report of October 20, 1943 lists Sgt Henry Milson from the 801st Signal Training Regimet at Camp Murphy, Florida, as transferred to AAA Training Center at Camp Edwards, Massachusetts. On November 29, 1943 he was assigned to C Battery, 136th AAA Gun Battalion at Camp Edwards, Massachusetts. He then received further training at Camp Edwards and was promoted to Master Sergeant on February 8, 1944, before being send to Camp Davis, North Carolina where he was assigned to Hq Battery, 136th AAA Gn Bn. Then moved by train to Camp Shanks, NY, Hq, A and B Battery left Camp Shanks on the morning of July 23, 1944, crossed the Hudson river and boarded the USS General William Mitchel. On July 26, the ship moved out to sea, destination England.

On September 1, 1944 the Battalion was assigned to the 9th Air Defense Command under the 56th AAA Brigade. On November 8, the 136th AAA Bn. moved from Cherbourg to Itegem, Belgium for the purpose of participation in the defense of the port of Antwerp against the German robot bombs. The 136th AAA became operational on November 13, under the command of the 45th AAA Group, 50th AAA Brigade. On December 19, they were ordered to proceed to a point near Verviers, Belgium. The Battalion again became operational on December 31, in the vicinity of Polygoon (Brasschaat), Belgium. On January 7, 1945, the Battalion suffered a major catastrophy when a buzz bomb crashed in the center of a Battery position, killing nine men an injuring forty-three others.

On April 14, 1945 the unit left Belgium and the following day occupied emplacements near Wesel, Germany.

Henry Heinz Milson married Miss Lydia Firchau whose parents where born in Rusia, on November 24, 1942, at Detroit, Michigan. He died on November 12, 1995 in Detroit, Michigan. He was survived by his wife Lydia Milson (1918-1996).