Hans Lothar Mills
Specialist Five
HHC, 1ST BN, 501ST INFANTRY, 101ST ABN DIV, USARV
Army of the United States
Sterling, Illinois
February 01, 1948 to May 18, 1969
HANS L MILLS is on the Wall at Panel W24, Line 45

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Hans L Mills
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21 May 2008

OPERATION LAMAR PLAIN began on 15 May 1969 when the 101st Airborne Division (Airmobile) sent a brigade task force south to assist the Americal Division in Quang Tin Province. Elements of the 2nd NVA Division had launched an offensive on 12 May and several strategic locations including the provincial headquarters at Tam Ky were under seige.

On 18 May Bravo Company, 1-501st Infantry ascended Hill 187 which was located one kilometer north of the Bong Mieu River, and 4 km north of LZ Professional. As the troops ascended the hill NVA mortar rounds began to impact around them, and then as the men scrambled for cover the barrage intensified. Mortar rounds landed on each side of the company CP and then a third round found its mark. The company commander and a medic were killed and the CO's RTO was severely wounded.

As casualties mounted, the only remaining medic Hans Lothar Mills scrambled around the top of the hill under heavy fire treating as many men as he could. He would treat one man, grab his medic's bag, and dash over to the next man. Eventually a mortar round exploded near Mills and he was mortally struck by a metal fragment.

According to a younger cousin Mills was known to the family as Lothar but his fellow soldiers remember him as Hans. They also remember him as a very brave and dedicated man who gave his life to save others.

From a Screaming Eagle researcher and fellow Screaming Eagle,
Roger Ables
Taylors, Sc
redleg101@charter.net


 

A Note from The Virtual Wall

A total of seven men were killed in action at Hill 187 where Bravo Company was positioned and at a nearby fortified hill taken by Charlie Company- four infantrymen and three medics:
Visit John Dennison's
Medics on the Wall
memorial which honors the
Army Medics and Navy Corpsmen who died in Vietnam.

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