7. Harry Miller’s Unforgettable Memories
Harry Miller spent 22 years in uniform, first in the US Army, then in the Air Force. What still stands out the most in his memories from all that time is the soul-sapping cold weather he experienced as a teenager during the Battle of the Bulge. He had joined the Army when he was only 15, after lying about his age in order to enlist. After completion of his training, Miller ended up in northern Europe, assigned to the 740th Tank Battalion. On December 19th, 1944, his unit came face to face with elements of the 1st SS Panzer Division.
After a brisk engagement in which the lead three enemy tanks were destroyed by a trio of refurbished American tanks that the 740th had received just a few hours earlier, the Germans were forced to retreat. As Miller recalled decades later: “It was so damn cold — ice and snow on the roads and the tanks would slide around … But we pushed them out of there. That‘s the highlight of my service – the 740th Tank Battalion. That’s my first love“.