Doris Miller

Doris Miller was born on October 12, 1919 in Waco, Texas. His parents were very poor sharecroppers. Miller played on his high school football team until he was expelled from school due to engaging in numerous fights over racial issues. He then worked on his father’s farm until he was 20 years old when he enlisted in the Navy. Miller served as a Mess Attendant He would prepare and serve food to the officers and the crew, clear the tables and clean the dishes, and clean the bedroom and bathrooms for the officers. He was advanced to Mess Attendant Second Class and transferred to the USS West Virginia just before it was sent to Pearl Harbor in Hawaii.

On December 7, 1941, Miller woke up at 6:00 AM. He had volunteered as a room steward and made an extra five dollars each month providing wake-up services to officers, as well as doing their laundry, shining their shoes, and making their beds. When the alarm for general quarters was sounded, he headed for his battle station. The ship was under attack by more than 200 Japanese torpedo planes, bombers, and fighters. A torpedo had destroyed his battle station. He was then ordered to run across the deck to retrieve injured shipmates and carry them to the quarterdeck where they were somewhat protected from the attack. He then came to the aid of the injured ship’s Captain, Mervyn Bennion. He rushed to the bridge to attempt to carry Bennion to safety but the Captain refused to leave his post.

Miller ran to man the anti-aircraft machine guns, firing at dive-bombing Japanese planes. Despite having no training in operating the big guns, he jumped into action. Miller later stated: “It wasn’t hard. I just pulled the trigger and she worked fine. I had watched the others with these guns. I guess I fired her for about fifteen minutes. I think I got one of those Japanese planes. They were diving pretty close to us.” Others have stated that Miller shot down four Japanese planes. But, according to official records, the USS West Virginia did not have a record of anyone on board having shot down any planes that day. Nonetheless, the attempt to fire at the incoming planes made it more difficult to press their attack. Eventually, because of the severe damage from explosions, the West Virginia began flooding and everyone was ordered to abandon ship. Of the 1,541 men on West Virginia during the attack, 130 were killed and 52 wounded.

Reports of the attack referenced the actions of an unknown Negro sailor. When he was identified as Doris Miller, Senator James Mead of New York introduced a Senate Bill seeking to award Miller the Medal of Honor, the United States highest military honor, awarded for personal acts of valor above and beyond the call of duty. On April 1, 1942, Miller was commended by the Secretary of the Navy Frank Knox on May 27, 1942.

“His distinguished devotion to duty, extraordinary courage and disregard of his personal safety during the attack on the Fleet in Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. While at the side of his Captain on the bridge, Miller despite enemy strafing and bombing, and in the face of serious fire, assisted in moving his Captain, who had been mortally wounded, to a place of greater safety and later manned and operated a machine gun until ordered to leave the bridge."

Miller was presented the Navy Cross by Admiral Chester Nimitz, the Commander in Chief for the Pacific Fleet on board the aircraft carrier USS Enterprise, for his extraordinary courage in battle. Admiral Nimitz stated "This marks the first time in this conflict that such high tribute has been made in the Pacific Fleet to a member of his race and I’m sure that the future will see others similarly honored for brave acts."

In 1941, the Pittsburgh Courier called for Miller to be honored like some of the white war heroes and allowed to return home for a war bond tour. He arrived at Pearl Harbor on November 23rd and was ordered on a war bond tour. He gave talks in Oakland, California, in Waco, Texas, and in Dallas, Texas. He also spoke to the first graduating class of Negro sailors from Great Lakes Naval Training Station, in Chicago, Illinois.

On June 1, 1943, Miller received another promotion, Petty Officer, and he was reassigned to the escort carrier Liscome Bay. On November 24, 1943, during the Battle of Tarawa, a torpedo from the Japanese submarine I-175 struck the escort carrier near the stern. The warship was sunk within a few minutes. There were only 272 survivors and the rest of the crew was listed as “presumed dead”. On December 7, 1943, exactly two years after the Pearl Harbor attack, Miller′s parents were notified their son’s death.

Many petitioned for Doris Miller to receive the Medal of Honor for his acts on December 7, 1941. Though he never received the award, he has been honored over the years. He posthumously received the Purple Heart Medal, the American Defense Service Medal, Fleet Clasp, the Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal, and the World War II Victory Medal. Also, the Doris Miller Foundation was founded in 1947 to give an annual award to the individual or group considered outstanding in the field of race relations. On June 30, 1973 the USS Miller (FF-1091), a Knox-class frigate, was commissioned in his honor.