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<em>Zip Millett</em> was a man’s man. He understood the true meaning of friendship and was unalterably loyal to those of us who were fortunate enough to be his friends. He was a de-bunker of fakes and had no patience with evasiveness or vacillation. He practiced integrity in everything he did. Zip was honest with himself and with everyone else, but in spite of this ingrained quality, he was a skilled diplomat.</p>
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His courage was of the quiet and enduring kind which inspired those around him and reflected so well the qualities which the United States Army holds in the highest esteem.</p>
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He was an outstanding representative of his country and its Army both at home and abroad. His life spanned a period during which the world was in an almost constant state of upheaval and in which his talents and interests were both needed and used.</p>
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His family and friends can well be proud of Zip’s outstanding life of service and of his part in helping to maintain the security of our country, on the battlefront and in the international diplomatic arena.</p>
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<em>George V. Millett</em> was born in Kansas City, Missouri on April 10, 1904. After attending Kansas City Junior College, he was appointed to the United States Military Academy of West Point, from which he was graduated in 1929 with the degree of Bachelor of Science in Military Engineering. Initially, Zip wanted to be in the Air Corps and after graduation from USMA he volunteered for flight training at March Field. In spite of a tremendous effort on his part, he was “washed out” after six months, and the Infantry was the gainer. From company officer in the 17th Infantry at Fort Crook and Fort Omaha, Nebraska, Zip went to Panama for service with the 33d Infantry at Fort Clayton, and then to the celebrated 3d Infantry at Fort Snelling.</p>
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Zip was a company commander with the 3d in 1935, the year he was made First Lieutenant. It was a squad from the 3d Infantry which fired the last salute as Zip was finally laid to rest in Arlington.</p>
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From 1936 to 1939, Zip served at Fort Benning, Georgia, first at the Infantry School, then with the 29th Infantry.</p>
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His second tour in Panama came in 1940 when he was given command of a company in the 14th Infantry at Fort Davis.</p>
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The year 1941 was a significant one for Zip. He volunteered and was accepted into the Army’s parachute effort which was just beginning at Fort Benning, Georgia. There Zip was among the first in the Army to win his wings as a qualified parachutist. He became successively S-2 and S-4 of the Provisional Parachute Group.</p>
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In August 1942 Zip was given command of the 507th Parachute Infantry Regiment and was promoted to Colonel, AUS on September 25, 1942.</p>
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Zip’s regiment was attached to the 82d Airborne Division for the Cross Channel Invasion of France. At 0230 hours on the morning of June 8, 1944, he parachuted with his unit into the Normandy Peninsula in the vicinity of Amferville.</p>
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The citation for Zip’s Silver Star tells part of the story of what happened, as follows:</p>
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SS from Hq 82 Airborne Div 16 Oct 45 For Gallantry in action on 6-8 Jun 44 in Normandy, France. Having landed by parachute before dawn D-Day and finding force badly scattered in the jump Colonel Millett regtl comdr personally led 4 offs 20 men in effort to accomplish primary mission regt capture of Amferville. After capturing 25 of enemy, neutralizing several machine guns and capturing two ammunition trucks being vastly outnumbered disengaged and established defensive positions on the main highway to town. There he finally assembled almost 400 men and held out three days against constant enemy attacks in great strength and under artillery fire thus denying the enemy the use of this important road to reinforces their attacks on the Merderet River Bridges. His courageous leadership and inspiring fortitude setting enviable example for his men</p>
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Only when its ammunition had been exhausted did Zip’s force withdraw to the area east of Amferville, but during this withdrawal on June 9, Zip was captured by the enemy and evacuated to Schubin, Poland where he was imprisoned in OFLAG Number 64.</p>
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On January 21, 1945, Zip managed to escape from the OFLAG and made his way across the Ukraine to the Black Sea Port of Odessa a little less than three months later.</p>
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He arrived in Naples on March 23, 1945 and back in the United States on April 2.</p>
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Zip’s post-World War II service began with his command of the 4th Infantry at Fort Benning. In 1946 he moved to the command of the Airborne School Regiment of the Airborne School, and the following year, he became senior instructor of the 100th Airborne Division at Louisville, Kentucky.</p>
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It was while serving in the above capacity that Zip was suddenly sent on temporary duty to the Middle East as the Senior United Nations Observer on the United Nations Mission to Palestine.</p>
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The words of Brigadier General W. E. Riley, USMC are at once simple and eloquent and describe the Zip we knew:</p>
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Brigadier General W. E. Riley, USMC, C/S, letter report: “Outstanding services rendered: cannot speak too highly of him, tireless efforts to keep orgn on even keel, will always carry out directives as issued, his loyalty, industry & common sense make him invaluable on mission of this kind, pleasure to serve with him.” Add dy as Dpty C/S Haifa for part of period.</p>
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General Riley further documented his views concerning Zip’s contribution in a commendation which read in part:</p>
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Comm From Brigadier General W. E. Riley, USMC, Sr Obsvr & C/S UN Mission to Palestine 20 Apr 49, For outstanding performance dy 22 Aug 48-10 Mar 49, filled positions of high responsibility as Sr. Obsvr in Trans-Jordan Area in highly commendable manner under conditions of great danger; later as C/S UN Hq Haifa; performed all dys with intelligence, initiative, thoroughness & forcefulness, leadership, loyalty; ability to work in harmony w/mixed gp of off & EM that included all branches of armed svs of the US, France & Belgium.</p>
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Returning to the Kentucky Military District, Zip pondered the challenging problems of the Middle East with which he had briefly come to grips, and decided to go back. He returned to that area early in 1950 as the US Army Attache to Lebanon, where his services continued to be of great value to his country.</p>
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Following the tour in Lebanon, Zip returned to the Airborne business as a member of the Joint Airborne Troop Board at Fort Bragg, North Carolina.</p>
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The Middle East still held fascination and great interest for him, however, and in early 1955 he returned to the area again, this time as US Army Attaché to Jordan. He was serving in this important job when he was stricken with leukemia. Zip died in Germany, November 8, 1955 on his way back to Walter Reed.</p>
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Zip gave everything he had to the service of his country, his friends and his family. He was an airborne pioneer, a gallant soldier, an able diplomat, a good husband and father. His name will live in our memories.</p>
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<em>—Wm. P. Y.</em></p>
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