Top 5 questions to ask yourself before you drive yourself to Pearl
Harbor
- Have I ever been there?
- Do I really know why we were attacked?
- While I figure out how to navigate the sites how much will I
miss?
- What do I do when the parking lot is full?
- What will keep my kids busy for 5 hours?
If you can't answer these questions confidently, then you would
probably be
better off with a tour and a guide who makes your experience smoother.
Select your Pearl Harbor Tour Now
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Doris (Dorie) Miller
 Doris
Miller, known as "Dorie" to shipmates and friends, was born in Waco,
Texas, on 12 October 1919, to Henrietta and Conery Miller. He had
three brothers, one of which served in the Army during World War II.
While attending Moore High School in Waco, he was a fullback on the
football team and he worked on his father's farm.
On 16 September 1939, he enlisted in the U.S Navy as Mess Attendant,
Third Class, at Dallas, Texas, so he could travel, and earn money
for his family. He later was commended by the Secretary of the Navy,
was advanced to Mess Attendant, Second Class and First Class, and
subsequently was promoted to Ship's Cook, Third Class.
Following training at the Naval Training Station, Norfolk, Virginia,
Miller was assigned to the ammunition ship USS Pyro (AE-1) where he
served as a Mess Attendant.
On 2 January 1940 was transferred to USS West Virginia (BB-48),
where he became the ship's heavyweight boxing champion.
In July 1940 he had temporary duty aboard USS Nevada (BB-36) at
Secondary Battery Gunnery School.
On August 3 1940, he returned to West Virginia, and was serving in
that battleship when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor on 7
December 1941.
On 7 December 1941, Miller had arisen at 6 a.m., and was collecting
laundry when the alarm for general quarters sounded. He headed for
his battle station, the antiaircraft battery magazine amidship, only
to discover that torpedo damage had wrecked it, so he went on deck.
Because of his physical prowess, he was assigned to carry wounded
fellow Sailors to places of greater safety.
Then an officer ordered him to the bridge to aid the mortally
wounded Captain of the ship.
He subsequently manned a 50 caliber Browning anti-aircraft machine
gun until he ran out of ammunition and was ordered to abandon ship.
Miller described firing the machine gun during the battle, a weapon
which he had not been trained to operate: "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 Jap planes. They were diving pretty close
to us."
During the attack, Japanese aircraft dropped two armored piercing
bombs through the deck of the battleship and launched five 18-inch
aircraft torpedoes into her port side. Heavily damaged by the
ensuing explosions, and suffering from severe flooding below decks,
the crew abandoned ship while West Virginia slowly settled to the
harbor bottom. Of the 1,541 men on West Virginia during the attack,
130 were killed and 52 wounded. Subsequently refloated, repaired,
and modernized, the battleship served in the Pacific theater through
to the end of the war in August 1945.
Miller was commended by the Secretary of the Navy Frank Knox on 1
April 1942, and on 27 May 1942 he received the Navy Cross, which
Fleet Admiral (then Admiral) Chester W. Nimitz, the Commander in
Chief, Pacific Fleet personally presented to Miller on board
aircraft carrier USS Enterprise (CV-6) for his extraordinary courage
in battle. Speaking of Miller, Nimitz remarked:
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.
On 13 December 1941, Miller reported to USS Indianapolis (CA-35),
and subsequently returned to the west coast of the United States in
November 1942. Assigned to the newly constructed USS Liscome Bay
(CVE-56) in the spring of 1943, Miller was on board that escort
carrier during Operation Galvanic, the seizure of Makin and Tarawa
Atolls in the Gilbert Islands. Liscome Bay's aircraft supported
operations ashore between 20-23 November 1943. At 5:10 a.m. on 24
November, while cruising near Butaritari Island, a single torpedo
from Japanese submarine I-175 struck the escort carrier near the
stern. The aircraft bomb magazine detonated a few moments later,
sinking the warship within minutes. Listed as missing following the
loss of that escort carrier, Miller was officially presumed dead 25
November 1944, a year and a day after the loss of Liscome Bay. Only
272 Sailors survived the sinking of Liscome Bay, while 646 died.
In addition to the Navy Cross, Miller was entitled to the Purple
Heart Medal; the American Defense Service Medal, Fleet Clasp; the
Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal; and the World War II Victory Medal.
Commissioned on 30 June 1973, USS Miller (FF-1091), a Knox-class
frigate, was named in honor of Doris Miller.
On 11 October 1991, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority dedicated a bronze
commemorative plaque of Miller at the Miller Family Park located on
the U.S. Naval Base, Pearl Harbor..
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