Welcome to the WWII Forums! Log in or Sign up to interact with the community.

Milburn Henke , the ''first'' GI in land in Europe

Discussion in 'Western Europe 1939 - 1942' started by Owen, Nov 18, 2013.

  1. Owen

    Owen O

    Joined:
    May 14, 2006
    Messages:
    2,765
    Likes Received:
    760
    Just nosing around the IWM photo collection & sa wthis pic, not seen it before.
    Wondered if he survived the war & it seems he did.

    http://www.newsletter.co.uk/features/70-years-on-remembering-when-the-yanks-arrived-1-3451181

     
    USMCPrice likes this.
  2. A-58

    A-58 Cool Dude

    Joined:
    Nov 13, 2008
    Messages:
    9,021
    Likes Received:
    1,815
    Location:
    Baton Rouge, Louisiana
    Great photo and story. Keep'em coming and we'll make you an honorary Yank!
     
  3. LRusso216

    LRusso216 Graybeard Staff Member

    Joined:
    Jan 5, 2009
    Messages:
    14,288
    Likes Received:
    2,605
    Location:
    Pennsylvania
    Good story. I never thought much about this, but somebody had to be designated "first", even though many others were already there.
     
  4. Owen

    Owen O

    Joined:
    May 14, 2006
    Messages:
    2,765
    Likes Received:
    760
    a mate shared this one of him on Facebook yesterday.

    https://www.facebook.com/DerryPast/


    [​IMG]

    Private First Class Milburn H Henke was officially the first American Soldier to land in the United Kingdom when he stepped off HMTS Strathaird at Dufferin Quay in Belfast on 26th January 1942.

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]
     
    SKYLINEDRIVE and Skipper like this.
  5. USMCPrice

    USMCPrice Idiot at Large

    Joined:
    Nov 15, 2009
    Messages:
    5,168
    Likes Received:
    2,140
    Location:
    God's Country
    Great story but one correction I'd like to make. The original story noted, "Note his M1918 helmet, M1903 Springfield rifle and jacket and tie." I noticed in the other photos in the thread that he was armed with an M1 and not an '03 Springfield, so I wondered if they were taken at a later time. Went back and looked at the original picture and you can see the barrel and you can clearly see the gas cylinder under the barrel identifying it as an M1 and not an '03.
     

Share This Page