Private Mills Edmonds was assigned to Headquarters Squadron, 27th Bomber Group, Light. The Squadron arrived in the Philippines in Novenber 1941. It was awaiting its aircraft which were being shipped to the Philippines when the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor and the Philippines. The ship carrying the planes was diverted to Australia and the Squadron Commander and 20 crews flew to Australia to get their planes.
Due to the Japanese advance they were unable to return to the Philippines. The ground echelon of the 27th withdrew to the South to the Bataan Peninsula and were formed into the 2nd Battalion, 27th Bomber Group Provisional Infantry Regiment Air Corps This was the only Air Corps unit to fight as an Infantry Regiment, and the only unit captured as a whole at Bataan. After surrender the men were forced on the Bataan Death March. Of the 880 men captured half did not survive captivity.
Private Edmonds died on the 10th of July 1942. He is remembered on the Tablets of the Missing, Manila American Cemetery, Philippines.
“Mills was the son of Thomas Sheridan Edmonds and Pansy Mae Hall of Madison County, North Carolina. His older brother, Spurgeon Edmonds, was my grandfather and he often told me about Mills being killed in the Bataan Death March. His living nieces are Jean Thomas, West Columbia, SC, Judy Ball, Weaverville, NC, Edna Freud, Marion, NC, Iva Buchanan, Roanoke, VA, Olamae Boshears, Alexandria, VA, and a nephew, Larry Edmonds, Roanoke, VA.”
-Submitted by his great nephew, Brad Thomas
“My Father Troy Edmonds was Uncle Mills older Brother. Uncle Mills Had the Medals American Campaign, Prisoner of War, Purple Heart, War World II Victory Metal. This is back up on the web page http://www.honorstates.org/index.php?id=111946#divcombo. Thank you God Bless.”
-Submitted by his niece, Rachel Edmonds Trull
- Rank: Private
- Date of birth: 11 February 1920
- Date of death: 10 July 1942
- County: Unicoi
- Hometown: Flag Pond
- Service Branch: Army/Army Air Forces
- Division/Assignment: 27th Bomber Group, Light
- Theater: Pacific
- Conflict: World War II
- Awards: American Campaign Medal, World War II Victory Medal, Purple Heart, Prisoner of War Medal
- Burial/Memorial Location: Manila American Cemetery, Fort Bonifacio, Manila, Philippines
- Location In Memorial: Pillar XIX, Top Panel
- Contact us to sponsor Mills Edmonds
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