Awarded for his leadership of the XXIX. Armee-Korps during the defensive battles of the 6. Armee in the winter of 1943/44. His Korps was present during the fighting retreat in the Nikopol—Apostolowo sector, as the 6. Armee fought to open up its retreat route and break through to the west via Bolschaja Kostromka. Later, Müller and his Korps launched an attack that won 15 km of maneuvering space and also saw the capture of the towns Nowo Otschakoff (west of Waldimirowka), Malejewko and Nowo Ssergejewka (near the Nowyj-Bug—Nikolajew railroad).
440th award