Hot Springs in Garland County, Arkansas — The American South (West South Central)
LTC Hugh Mills, Jr.
Military
| | Hot Springs Arkansas Walk of Fame | |
Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, September 13, 2024
1. LTC Hugh Mills, Jr. Marker
Highly decorated helicopter pilot Vietnam Created dramatically improved attack ability and life saving low level combat techniques Three combat tours, three Silver and Bronze Stars, four Distinguished Flying Crosses, three Purple Hearts plus fourteen others Army and Arkansas Aviation Halls of Fame Shot down sixteen times
Hot Springs, Arkansas Inducted 2013
Erected by Hot Springs Arkansas Walk of Fame.
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Air & Space • Patriots & Patriotism • War, Vietnam. In addition, it is included in the Military Order of the Purple Heart, and the Valor in Aerial Operations series lists.
Location. 34° 30.628′ N, 93° 3.218′ W. Marker is in Hot Springs, Arkansas, in Garland County. It is at the intersection of Spring Street and Central Avenue (State Highway 7), on the right when traveling west on Spring Street. The marker is embedded in the sidewalk near the southeast corner of the Hot Springs City Visitor Center. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 629 Central Avenue, Hot Springs National Park AR 71901, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in Arkansas’ Ouachita Mountains. It is also in the American South and specifically in the Upper South. Globally, it is in North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture, the Louisiana Purchase, one of the Confederate States of America, and the Antebellum South.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Earlie Fires (here, next to this marker); Bobby Murray
this page online
Also see . . .
1. Hugh L. Mills Jr. (Wikipedia).
Excerpt: Lieutenant Colonel Hugh L. Mills Jr. is a retired United States Army officer who served in the Vietnam War. Mills enlisted in the United States Army on 1 February 1967 and after attending Officer Candidate School at Fort Knox was commissioned as an armor officer on 15 December. He was then assigned as a training officer with the 15th Reconnaissance Squadron. He completed Army aviation training in late 1968.(Submitted on January 23, 2025, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)
Mills arrived in South Vietnam in January 1969, and was assigned to D Troop, 1st Squadron, 4th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Infantry Division, first flying UH-1 Hueys before transitioning to the OH-6A Cayuse. Following his first tour in SouthVietnam, Mills served with the 2nd Battalion, 64th Armor Regiment, 3rd Infantry Division, in West Germany. In September 1971 he returned to South Vietnam flying the AH-1G Cobra gunship with D Troop, 3rd Squadron, 5th Cavalry Regiment and then flew OH-6As as platoon commander of C Troop, 16th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Aviation Brigade.Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, September 13, 20242. LTC Hugh Mills, Jr. MarkerLooking north from Spring Street; it is the 2nd from the right of four markers in this photo. The Hot Springs City Visitor Center is in the left background.
Mills flew over 2000 combat hours in the OH-6 and more than 1300 combat hours in the AH-1 in Vietnam. He was shot down 16 times, 15 times in the OH-6. After retiring from the army in 1993, Mills co-wrote the book Low Level Hell about his experiences as a scout pilot in South Vietnam.
Mills' decorations include the Silver Star (3), Legion of Merit, Distinguished Flying Cross (4), Bronze Star Medal (3), Purple Heart (3), Air Medal (66), Air Medal with 'V' Device (6), Vietnamese Gallantry Cross with Silver Star and Palm, Vietnamese Armed Forces Honor Medal First Class and the Vietnamese Civil Actions Medal First Class. In 2011 Mills was inducted into the Army Aviation Hall of Fame. In 2013 he was added to the Arkansas Walk of Fame.
2. Hugh Louis Mills , Jr. (Military Times Hall of Valor).
Lists specific dates, actions and citations for Mills' numerous valor awards.(Submitted on January 23, 2025, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)
Credits. This page was last revised on January 23, 2025. It was originally submitted on January 23, 2025, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. This page has been viewed 427 times since then and 64 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on January 23, 2025, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.
