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Coltautos.com Gun of the Month - June 2004
Colt Model 1908 "U.S. PROPERTY" Marked .380 ACP
Serial Number 135161
Issued to Lt. General Frank William Milburn
 with Details of his Distinguished Military Career

Colt Model M .380 ACP Serial Number 135161 - One of 101 U.S. Property marked Model M pistols shipped directly from Colt's to the General Officer.  This pistol was shipped to Lt. General Frank William "Shrimp" Milburn (West Point Class of 1914) on August 24, 1944.  

Milburn was the Commanding General for 1 Corp during the Korean War 1950-51.  Accompanying this pistol was the General's brown belt, gold eagle buckle and holster.  This pistol was worn by the General a considerable amount as evidenced by the holster wear and smooth spots on the checkered walnut grips.

Colt Model 1908 Pocket Hammerless .380 ACP Serial Number 135161 was a single gun shipment on August 24, 1944 to The Ordnance Officer, Reissue to: C.G. Hq. & Hg. Co. XXI Corps. Camp Polk, LA For: Major Gen. W. Milburn.

Major General Frank W. Milburn - 1950 EUCOM

Serial number 135161 is an early U.S. PROPERTY marked Colt Model M .380 - Notice the small "U.S. PROPERTY" marking on the right side of the frame. This pistol also has the early sights, early number of slide serrations and punch-dot ordnance mark (see below), located above the Verified Proof mark on the upper left flat of the trigger guard.

 General Milburn Gets Second Star

This was a big moment in the life of the Milburns - Camp Atterbury's Number 1 Family.  Mrs. Frank W. Milburn pins an extra star on the shoulders of her husband, now Major General Frank Milburn as their two children, Frank and Betty Jane, admire their father's new rank.
the Franklin Evening Star - 09/25/1942
General Milburn Gets Second Star
Two Down, Two To Go For Goal

In the presence of both general and special staff, Mrs. Milburn pinned another star on the broad shoulders of her husband in a brief but impressive ceremony Thursday afternoon and and the commanding general of the 83rd Infantry Division became a Major General.

Just as proud of the General's promotion, were his daughter, Betty Jane and his son Frank, who also attended the ceremony held in their father's modest office room in the division headquarters building.

The oath was administered by the adjutant general of the 83rd division, Col. E. G. Isaacs.  Only other woman present was Mrs. Rinaldo Van Brunt, whose husband, Col. Van Brunt is chief of staff.

The promotion followed confirmation by the United States Senate.  The general had been recommended for the higher rank by President Roosevelt.

Gen. Milburn, a native of Jasper, assumed command of the 83rd Division in August following the transfer of Maj. Gen. John J. Millikan, first head of the 83rd to Camp Forrest, Tennessee.

Source: http://www.indianamilitary.org

ETO HQ 11 MAY 45; Credit...Signal Corps Photo; Photographer...T/5 E. Greenhaus (163)

Maj. Gen. Frank W. Milburn, C.G., XXI Corps, Greets Gen. Jacob L. Devers, C.G., VI Army Group Upon His Arrival by plane at cub strip in Degernsdorf, Germany, L-R: Capt. James M. Hayes Jr., Pilot to Gen. Devers; Maj. Gen. Milburn; and Gen Jacob L. Devers.

Seventh Army, XXI Corps, Degernsdorf, Germany

ETO HQ 9 March 45 (7a-4062); Credit...Signal Corps Photo;  Photographer...Lt. John D. Moors (163)

After discussing future plans, Maj. Gen. Frank W. Milburn, C.G. XXI Corps; Col. Charles B. McClelland, O.O. of the 101st Cav. Recon. GP.; and Major E. Griest, the General's Aide-de-Camp leave the 101st Cav. Recon. Group C.P.

101st Cav. recon. GP., XXI Corps, 7A, Lauterbach, Germany

Group of Generals present for the presentation of the Legion of Merit, Degree of Legionaire, to Maj. Gen. Milburn
7th Army, Sarrequemines, France

(L-R) LT Gen Alexander M. Patch, Jr., Commanding General, 7th Army; Lt. Gen. Jacob L. Devers, Commanding General, 6th Army Group; Maj. Gen. Frank W. Milburn, commanding General, XXI Corps, Brig. Gen Reuben E. Jenkins, G-3, 6th Army Group.

Photo was passed for publication as censored 24 MAR 1945
(lines behind subject were added by censor)

7 April 1945 - 7A-5358/ETO HQ 45 22255 21 MAR
CREDIT... U S ARMY SIGNAL CORPS
PHOTOG-T/5 Y J LAPIDUS 163

LT Gen Jacob L. Devers, Commanding General 6th Army Group, Presents the Legion of Merit Degree of Legionaire, to Maj. Gen Frank W. Milburn, commanding general, XXI Corps
7th Army, Sarrequemines, France

(Note: LT Gen Devers is wearing a Beretta in his General Officer's holster)

Photo was passed for publication as censored 24 MAR 1945
(lines behind subject were added by censor)

7 April 1945 - 7A-5357/ETO HQ 45 22254 21 MAR
CREDIT... U S ARMY SIGNAL CORPS
PHOTOG-T/5 Y J LAPIDUS 163

Major General Frank W. Milburn, Deputy Commander, U.S. Army, Europe, and General John Dahlquist photographed at the XXXI Constabulary Corps and Division Headquarters, during "Exercise Harvest." (13 September 1949 - U.S. Army Photograph, Photographer CPL Probasco)

Photo caption - "Exercise Harvest" September 6-17, 1949 - First joint Army, Navy and Air Force maneuver to be held in the European Command since the end of World War II, commenced on 6 September, "Exercise Harvest" is a safe maneuver  in which actual opposing forces are U.S. Forces represented by the 1st U.S. Infantry Division, and the "aggressor" composed of units of the U.S. Constabulary, aggressor units are wearing aggressor uniforms.  Realism is stressed including firing of blank ammunition, taking of prisoners, air evacuation of wounded and use of visual and sonic deception devices.  Tactical air support for both ground forces is being supplied by the 2nd Tactical Air Division, United States Air Force Europe (USAFE).  The U.S. Navy is represented by its Rhine River Patrol and at Bremerhaven Port of Embarkation, Director of "Exercise Harvest" is Lt. Gen. Clarence B. Huebner, Commanding General, U.S. Army, Europe.  Deputy Directors are Maj. Gen. Frank W. Milburn, Deputy Commander, U.S. Army, Europe for the Army, Admiral John Wilkes, Commander, U.S. Naval Forces, Europe for the Navy, and Lt. Gen John E. Cannon, USAFE Commander for the Air Force.  An important element in "Exercise Harvest" is the presence of observers from the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, the Departments of the Army and Air Force in Washington, D.C. and military observers from the European Union countries and other European Nations.

January 8, 1951 - PISTOL-PACKING ALLIED COMMANDER - With a .45 strapped to his belt, Lt. Gen, Matthew B. Ridgway, commander of the 8th Army, confers with Maj. Gen. Frank W. Milburn in Korea, where Red forces threaten Allies' retreat. (U.S. Army Photo via AP Wirephoto)

US Army Photograph - SC 373215 KOREA
Korean Conflict

General Tahsin Yazici, CG, Turkish Brigade (center) greets Lt. Gen. Frank W. Milburn, CG, US, I Corps, upon his arrival at Brigade Headquarters, Korea, to attend a Turkish celebration. 6 July 1951.


Born
11 January 1892
  Born in Jasper, Indiana and admitted to  West Point in 1911 from same state.
 

Graduated from West Point, Class of 1914.  Commissioned in the Infantry.
1914 - 1918   Duty in the Canal Zone
1922 - 1926   Instructor at the Infantry School
1926 - 1931   University of Montana, Major Frank W. Milburn, Professor of Military Science and Tactics
1933   Graduated from the Command and General Staff School in 1933, then instructor there from 1934 - 1938.
1940 - 1941   Plans and operations officer at 8th Division
1941 - 1942   Assistant division commander of 6th Division
February 1942   Brigadier General
September 1942

Major General
15 August 1942

 

 

 

Commanding General 83 Division & 21 Corps European Theatre (Distinguished Service Medal, Silver Star, Legion of Merit, Bronze Star Medal) 

The Thunderbolt Division - Story of the Eighty Third

83rd Infantry Division - "Thunderbolt"

329th, 330th and 331st  Infantry Regiments
332nd, 323rd, 324th and 908th Field Artillery Battalions
308th Engineer Combat Battalion

Campaigns:

Normandy
Northern France
Ardennes-Alsace
Rhineland
Central Europe

Commanders:

Major General Frank W. Milburn - August 1942
Major General Robert C. Macon - January 1944

83rd Infantry Division,World War II

Activated: 15 August 1942. Overseas: 6 April 1944. Campaigns: Normandy, Northern France, Rhineland, Ardennes-Alsace, Central Europe. Days of combat: 244. Distinguished Unit Citations: 7. Awards: Medal of Honor - 1 ; DSC-7 ; DSM-1 ; SS-710; LM-11; SM-25 ; BSM-6,294 ; AM-110. Commanders: Maj. Gen. Frank W. Milburn (August 1942-December 1943), Maj. Gen. Robert C. Macon (January 1944 - 31 January 1946).

83rd Infantry Division - The Thunderbolts
 
 
Battle of the Bulge
 

1942 - 1945   Commanding General XXI Corps
1945 - 1946   Commanding General V Corps
26 March 1946   Returned to U. S.
5 April 1946   Inactivated
May 1946 -
August 1949
  Commanding General, 1st Infantry Division, Germany
1949 - 1950   Deputy Commander of U.S. Army, Europe

10 August 1950

1950 - 1951

IX Corps

I Corps

Commanding General, IX Corps - On August 10, 1950, IX Corps was reactivated at Fort Sheridan, Illinois, and shipped almost immediately to Korea. During the Korean conflict, IX Corps played an essential role in such operations as Vulture, Clam-up, Tune-up, Mushroom, and Showroom, all designed to limit Invading Communist manpower and equipment. [Source]

Commanding General, I Corps Korean War - With the entry of American troops into Korea, I Corps was reactivated at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, on 2 August 1950 and advance elements of the headquarters took their place in the Pusan perimeter on 27 August. The headquarters, designated “Task Force Jackson,” assumed control of the I Republic of Korea Corps, the 21st Regimental Combat Team, and the 3d Battalion Combat Team of the 9th Infantry Regiment. On 12 September, under command of Lieutenant General (then Major General) Frank W. Milburn, the Corps became operational. [Source]

United Nations Command, Senior Military Commanders, Commanding General, I Corps, Maj. General Frank W. Milburn, 11 Sep 1950

1951   Lt. General
1951 - 1952   Inspector Infantry OCAFF
April 1952   Retired Lt. General
1952   Football & Basketball Coach, Rocky Mount College, MT
Military Coordinator, State University
25 October 1962   Died - Missoula, MT 


U.S. Army World War II Combat Corps Commanders

Birth Date  Name Birth Date Name
7 Feb 82  Swift, Innis P. 30 Dec 89 Cook, Gilbert R.
28 Dec 83 Fredendall, Lloyd R. 14 Jan 90 Lucas, John P.
11 Nov 85 Patton, George S., Jr.  4 Apr 90 McLain, Raymond S.
17 Feb 86       J. Dawley, Ernest 2 Dec 90 Crittenberger, Willis D.
9 Mar 86 Eichelberger, Robert L. 3 Jan 91  Sibert, Franklin C.
22 Oct 86 Griswold, Oscar 10 Mar 91 Anderson, John B.
12 Dec 86 Hall, Charles P. 11 Jan 92 Milburn, Frank W.
7 Jan 88 Millikin, John 19 Mar 92  Van Fleet, James A.
13 Jul 88 Gerow, Leonard T. 6 May 92 Eddy, Manton S.
8 Aug 88 Gillem, Alvan C. 12 Feb 93  Bradley, Omar N.
30 Oct 88 Keyes, Geoffrey 23 Mar 93  Irwin, S. LeRoy
24 Nov 88 Huebner, Clarence R. 25 Apr 93 Brooks, Edward H.
9 Jul 89 Haislip, Wade H. 12 Jun 93  Hodge, John R.
31 Jul 89 Corlett, Charles H.  26 Feb 94  Harmon, Ernest N.
12 Oct 89 Middleton, Troy H. 9 Jan 95  Truscott, Lucian K., Jr.
23 Nov 89 Patch, Alexander M.  3 Mar 95 Ridgway, Matthew B.
3 Dec 89 Walker, Walton H. 1 May 96 Collins, J. Lawton
 

Photo - November 1950. Lt Gen Walton H. Walker, left rear. Maj Gen Frank W. Milburn, right rear and Gen Douglas MacArthur, front.

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