He was the only Polk County, Florida native to receive the Medal of Honor in World War II.

[1] Private Mills earned the Medal of Honor in 1944 for demonstrating "conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty."

Mills, undergoing his baptism of fire, preceded his platoon down a draw to reach a position from which an attack could be launched against a heavily fortified strongpoint.

Continuing his advance, he saw a German soldier in a camouflaged position behind a large bush pulling the pin of a potato-masher grenade.

Standing on the bank in full view of the enemy less than 100 yards away, he shouted and fired his rifle directly into the position.

Tracers passed within inches of his body, rifle and machine pistol bullets ricocheted off the rocks at his feet.

Mills jumped into the draw, reloaded his weapon, climbed out again, and continued to lay down a base of fire.

Repeating this action 4 times, he enabled his platoon to reach the designated spot undiscovered, from which position it assaulted and overwhelmed the enemy, capturing 22 Germans and taking the objective without casualties.