BRECHEEN, Milton L., St. Helena Parish, Louisiana File prepared by D.N. Pardue and submitted by Inez Bridges Tate. ************************************************ Submitted to the LAGenWeb Archives ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://usgwarchives.net/la/lafiles.htm ************************************************ From "St. Helena Vets Remember World War II: Personal Interviews With World War II Vets", published by St. Helena Historical Association, 1995. Compiled and edited by Inez Bridges Tate and reprinted with permission. Milton L. Brecheen was born in Baywood, Louisiana on December 26, 1919 and grew up in the Pine Grove area. He dropped out of school and worked for several years in Califor- nia. Deciding he needed to complete high school, he returned to Pine Grove and entered the 10th grade. He graduated from Pine Grove High School in 1940. Milton then went to work for Santa Maria Dairy in Baton Rouge, working as a routeman. He and Miss Ivalie Goynes, who had graduated from high school with him, were married on June 6, 1941 by Rev. Robert G. Dyke. The young couple lived in Baton Rouge where their only child Carolyn was born December 25, 1942. He was drafted on August 1, 1943 and took basic training at Camp Walters in Mineral Wells, Texas. Ivalie and Carolyn were able to live in Mineral Wells while Milton was stationed there. The second week of January 1944, Milton was given a leave and the young family came home. On January 16, 1944, he left for Fort Ord, CA and several weeks later was shipped out to Australia. From Australia he was sent to New Guiana and landed at Aitape, New Guiana. On July 11, 1944, he was reported "missing in action." He was near the Driniumor River at the time he was reported missing. He was listed as missing in action until February 14, 1946, at which time he declared dead. He was never found. Milton was awarded the Purple Heart posthumously. After Milton was declared dead, Ivalie wrote the Adjutant General of the War Department and requested the names and ad- dresses of several men serving with Milton at that time. She received three names and addresses and wrote letters to each, including a picture of Milton, to learn what information they could provide. She received nice letters from each and one happened to be the last person to see Milton. This veteran worte that they were together on the night of July 10, 1944 and he, a Chinese guy, and Milton were in a fox hole together when a grenade was thrown in on them. All three suffered injuries and were obliged to abandon the fox hole as they were surrounded. Slipping out one at a time, they were to meet on a certain trail. They never say Milton again. Ivalie has a history of Milton's outfit and from it infor- mation regarding the battle in which Milton lost his life follows: ". . . the dividion's 127th RCT had gone into action. It took part in the initial landing at Atiape on April 22, 1944. The beachhead was extended inland to the foot of the Torricellli Mountains, and the bulk of the Japanese 18th Imperial Army was traped in its Wewak stronghold. The strength of this Jap force was estimated at between 43,000 and 47,000 of which 25,000 were combat troops. The importance of Aitape increased. Simultaneously with the landing at Aitape, another landing had occurred at Hollan- dia, 125 miles to the west. Hollandia had the only suitable harbor on the northern coast of Dutch New Guiana, and the unin- terrupted improvement of this harbor and the installation of huge air and base facilities was of vital importance in our advance toward the Phillipines. For two months the Jap 18th Army commander, Lt. Gen. Adachi, moved and assembled his forces on the eastern flank of Aitape. He conducted extensive reconnaissance for by-pass routes, but found every inland trail blocked by our patrols. . .Patrol clashes along the coastal area increased in frequency and intensity; our small outposts, 25 miles to the east, were pushed back into the line of the covering force along the Driniumor River, 17 miles east of Aitape. Then, the night of July 10th, Adachi launched his all-out effort. Three Jap regiments massed on a narrow front and forced a crossing of the Driniumor. The river was red with blood of more than 200 of his troops the following morning, a price he had to pay. General Gill's troops fell back two miles, reorganized, and counterattacked back into their former positions along the Driniumor. The three Jap regiments were trapped. Three weeks of bitter jungle fighting followed. The Jap commander first tried to reinforce the troops that efected the river cross- ing by pushing other troops through out strengthened positions at the crossing site. He wasted battalions in this effort, while our troops methodically destroyed the assault force which had been cut off from reinforcements, supplies or retreat . . . Because wire and radio communications were difficult in the dense jungle, the movement of the force was directed by cub planes flying directly over the troops where radio contact was possible. Nine days were required to cover the ten miles. . . they formed a line of battalions across the front of which the Japs, retreating had to move. Few Japs survived. The Jap 18th Army lost 9,300 known killed, the highest casualties inflicted upon the enemy during any one operation in the Southwest Pacific up until that time. Seven of the ninie regiments had been de- stroyed. . . The Jap army had been destroyed by our covering force in a battle of manuevers through the most dense tropical jungles . . ." After the news of Milton, Ivalie returned to Baton Rouge with her small daughter where she entered school. Completing her training she began a career that spanned 36 years. Carolyn graduated from L.S.U. and taught school in Baton Rouge for 17 years. She married her high school sweetheart who had also lost his Dad in World War II. This couple moved to Virginia where Carolyn still teaches. Ivalie has three grandchildren and two great grandchildren. Ivalie and her husband, Mr. Fred Tasker, live near Ponchatoula and enjoy their retirement. - - - - - Newspaper Clippings: 4 Sept. 1943 Pvt. Milton Louis Brecheen of Pine Grove has arrived at Camp Wolters, Texas, to begin his basic training as an infantryman. He has been assigned to a battalion stressing heavy weapons. 26 May 1944 Pvt. Milton L. Brecheen, son of Mr. and Mrs. C.M. Brecheen, Den- ham Springs, has been assigned to duty in the Southwest Pacific, and news of his arrival has been receiv- ed. His wife and daughter will re- main with her mother, Mrs. A.D. Goynes, Pine Grove. 1 Sept. 1944 Pvt. Milton L. Breechen, who has been in the Southwest Pacific area for the past six months, has been reported missing in action. Pvt. Brecheen's wife and nineteen months old daughter, Carolyn, are now living with her mother, Mrs. G.M. Goynes of Pine Grove. He is a son of Mr. and Mrs. C.M. Brecheen of Denham Springs. * * *