Second Lieutenant Ernest Durbin McMillen Jr. was born on 7 December 1918 In Kansas City, Missouri to Ernest McMillen (1898-1961), born in Missouri and Leta M Barnes (1900-1980), born in Iowa. He has a younger brother, Robert Delbert McMillen. His parents divorced in 1927 and his mother remarried giving him a half brother, Bruce McCoskey.

By 1940 when the U.S. Federal Census was taken Ernest was 21 years old and living alone and working as a clerk in the chemistry industry. It states that in 1939 he had worked 52 weeks and earned $1000.

He registered for the draft on 16 December 1940 in Kansas City, Missouri and was working for Liquid Carbonic Corporation. He was described as white, 6”’1”, 175 pounds, blue eyes, brown hair and ruddy complexion.

Ernest was enlisted on 15 July 1942 and was assigned to the 76th Troop Carrier Squadron, 434th Troop Carrier Group, 9th Air Force. In November 1942 he was sent to Lubbock, Texas for advanced glider training.

On 7 June 1944 Ernest, as pilot of a Horsa Glider, crash landed in the vicinity northwest of Ste. Marie- Eglise, France.

Gliders were used for carrying troops (glider infantry) and heavy equipment to a combat zone. Troops landing by glider were referred to as air-landing as opposed to paratroops. On D-Day, gliders were used on an unprecedented scale to transport troops and supplies to Normandy. They were towed by transport or bomber aircraft before gliding into the landing zone, where supplies could be retrieved.

The following is a eyewitness report from another pilot, Sam F Pemberton:

The following is a report from a passenger on the Horsa Glider piloted by 2nd Lt. Ernest McMillen.

On 7 June 1944, 2nd Lieutenant Ernest Durbin McMillen Jr was missing in action and later confirmed to be killed in action at Sainte-Mere-Eglise, France. He was awarded the Purple Heart.

He was initially buried at Blosville, France then reinterred at Fort Leavenworth National Cemetery, Leavenworth, Kansas on 27 May 1948.

This story is part of the Stories Behind the Stars project (see www.storiesbehindthestars.org). This is a national effort of volunteers to write the stories of all 400,000+ of the US WWII fallen here on Fold3. Can you help write these stories? Related to this, there will be a smart phone app that will allow people to visit any war memorial or cemetery, scan the fallen's name and read his/her story.

Sources:

1940 US Federal Census

Cemetery Memorial

Missing Air Crew Report

Ernest D McMillen Jr