Award Albert Medal Lt. E. Millichamp, USAAF (Escape & Evasion, North Africa)

brithm · Jan 11, 2023

Award Albert Medal Lt. Earle Spencer Millichamp, USAAF

This officer was a prisoner of war in AFRICA. On 13th January, he and ten other officer prisoners of war were placed on an Italian submarine in TRIPOLI which sailed that night for ITALY. At about 1400 hrs on 14th January the submarine was depth charged by a British aircraft and started to sink. Lt. MILLICHAMP and the other prisoners of war succeeded in getting out of the submarine and with the Italian crew clung to the sides and conning tower of the ship which was awash on the surface . After approximately half an hour three British destroyers approached the submarine and started shelling her. The majority of the crew and prisoners of war dived into the water and started to swim clear. I (Major STREET) was with Lt. MILLICHAMP in the water. It was very rough and we had no lifebelts. We swam round together with shells and pompom fire from the destroyers falling all around us. After half an hour I began to feel the cold intensely and was getting very tired.

Lt. MILLICHAMP saw this and told me that he was a strong swimmer and would try and assist me. This he did by holding me up for short periods while I rested. After a further half an hour he saw a lifebelt float by and fetched it for me. During all this time the destroyers were shelling the submarine in order to sink her, in the heavy seas she was, however, a very difficult target and it was over an hour before she finally went down.

Two destroyers then came up to pick up survivors. Although I still had on the lifebelt given me by Lt. MILLICHAMP I was by this time hardly capable of swimming the short distance to the destroyers and was towed by Lt. MILLICHAMP for the last few yards. He then grabbed the rope ladder for me and assisted me up before himself coming out of the water . To Lt. MILLICHAMP I undoubtedly owe my life. It is impossible for me to praise too highly the unselfish courage of this officer, who under continuous shell fire in a heavy sea went to the assistance of and saved a less strong swimmer than himself. I hope that he will be suitably rewarded.
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WO 373/152/155

Korean war veteran

brithm · Jan 11, 2023

Newsweek (US Edition) 15th February 1943 Issue 7 Volume 21

brithm · Jan 12, 2023

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Award Albert Medal Lt. E. Millichamp, USAAF (Escape & Evasion, North Africa)

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Award Albert Medal Lt. E. Millichamp, USAAF (Escape & Evasion, North Africa)

brithm Senior Member

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