Milton Johnson was older than most World War ll draftees. At 27, he left behind his wife, Arlene, and a baby when he was called up in 1943. He would become a member of the IV Infantry Division and the 44th Field Artillery Battalion, Battery A.
After training at Fort Sill in Laughton, Oklahoma, Johnson left for Europe on the Capetown Castle, a line out of England that had been converted to a troop transporter. They were joined by other boats and became a long convoy in the open seas.
While stationed at Denbury Camp near Newton Abbot, Devonshire, he got to see General Patton with his famous “silver pistol.” Johnson thought he was a gruff burly guy. He also got to see Generals Montgomery, Collins and Bradley.
He was given the position of tank driver, which gave him a unique view of each battle, its losses and its victories. He would participate in D-Day and the entire Normandy Campaign, June 6- July 24. His battalion has the distinction of firing the first artillery on Utah Beach and the first to fire artillery into Germany.
To prepare for the Normandy Campaign, the battalion studied models of Utah Beach, were issued gas masks and waterproofed their vehicles and equipment. They were issued floating devices which were to prevent drowning but caused drowning casualties instead. After the devices were inflated, they hung too low on the torso, pulling the men under the water. It was obvious to Johnson that straps were needed and less inflation was required to keep the device from being so tight the men could not get it off.
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