Miltonberger, Butler, MG

Lt. Col. Butler Miltonberger was a native of North Platte, Nebraska, and began his career as a private in June of 1916 when the National Guard was mobilized during the Mexican border dispute. During World War I, he fought with the Fourth Division in the Argonne and returned to North Platte as a first sergeant.

As a civilian, he worked in North Platte as a postman while also being engaged in bridge building, surveying, and road construction.  Miltonberger was born at North Platte, Nebraska, on August 31, 1897. He attended North Platte High School, and upon his graduation in 1916,

Miltonberger eventually worked his way up to become commander of the 134th Infantry and was promoted to the rank of major in 1933. In 1935 his unit was called into active duty during both the Omaha streetcar riot and the Republican River flood. He single-handedly captured Willard Brucks, an escaped killer who had broken into the Omaha armory to seize weapons. He was promoted to lieutenant colonel in 1940.

Nebraska's National Guard were among the first Nebraskans to go to war. In reaction to the war in Europe, the 134th Regiment — "Nebraska's Own" — mobilized in December, 1940, as part of the Thirty-fifth Division and assembled at Camp Joseph T. Robinson in Arkansas under the command of Butler Buchanan Miltonberger. Miltonberger saw action in St. Lo, Vire, Mortain, Montargis, Morhange, Sarreguemines, Bastogne, Alsace, Venlo, and the Elbe River.

Comanding Officer 134th Infantry Regiment 
(26 May1944)
Assistant Division Commder 35th Infantry Division (27 Feb 1945)
War Department personnel section
(1945)
Chief of the National Guard Bureau 
(1 Feb1946 to 29 Sep 1947)

Campaigns: Mexican Border War, Argonne, Normandy, Northern France, Ardennes. Rhineland, Central Europe.

Butler B. Miltonberger died at his home outside of North Platte, Nebraska, on March 23, 1977. He is buried at Fort McPherson National Cemetery near Maxwell, Nebraska

Throughout his military career, Miltonberger was recognized with various medals and awards including the Distinguished Service Medal, the French Croix de Guerre, and the Netherlands Order of Orange-Nassau, the Silver Star Medal, the Bronze Star Medal with three oak leaf clusters.