26 Facts About Doris Miller

Doris "Dorie" Miller was a US Navy sailor who was the first black recipient of the Navy Cross and a nominee for the Medal of Honor.

Doris Miller then manned an anti-aircraft gun and, despite no prior training in gunnery, officially shot down one plane, but Miller and other eyewitnesses claimed a range of four to six.

Doris Miller received the Navy Cross from Admiral Chester Nimitz on May 27,1942, but many sailors and naval officers believed that Doris Miller's heroism deserved a Medal of Honor.

Doris Miller was nominated for a Medal of Honor by a congressman from Michigan and a Senator from New York, and the black press enthusiastically campaigned for Doris Miller to receive this decoration.

Secretary of the Navy Frank Knox, who opposed black sailors serving the United States in any combat role, recommended against Doris Miller receiving the Medal of Honor.

In June 1943, Doris Miller was promoted to Cook Petty Officer, Third Class.

Doris Miller was born in Waco, Texas, on October 12,1919, to Connery and Henrietta Doris Miller.

Doris Miller was named Doris, as the midwife who assisted his mother was convinced before his birth that the baby would be a girl.

Doris Miller was the third of four sons and helped around the house, cooked meals and did laundry, as well as worked on the family farm.

Doris Miller was a fullback on the football team at Waco's Alexander James Moore High School.

Doris Miller began attending the eighth grade on January 25,1937, at age 17; he repeated the grade the following year because of poor performance, so he decided to drop out of school.

Doris Miller applied to join the Civilian Conservation Corps but was not accepted.

Doris Miller worked on his father's farm until shortly before his 20th birthday.

Doris Miller was nominated for recognition for his actions on December 7,1941, and the Pittsburgh Courier released a story on March 14,1942, which gave his name as "Dorie Miller".

Doris Miller enlisted in the US Navy as a mess attendant third class at the Naval Recruiting Station in Dallas, Texas, for six years on September 16,1939.

The "battle stations" alarm went off; Doris Miller headed for his battle station, an anti-aircraft battery magazine amidships, only to discover that a torpedo had destroyed it.

Doris Miller then went to "Times Square" on deck, a central spot aboard the ship where the fore-to-aft and port-to-starboard passageways crossed, reporting himself available for other duty and was assigned to help carry wounded sailors to places of greater safety.

Lieutenant Commander Doir C Johnson, the ship's communications officer, spotted Miller and saw his physical prowess, so he ordered him to accompany him to the conning tower on the flag bridge to assist in moving the ship's captain, Mervyn Bennion, who had a gaping wound in his abdomen where he had apparently been hit by shrapnel after the first Japanese attack.

Lieutenant Frederic H White had ordered Miller to help him and Ensign Victor Delano load the unmanned number 1 and number 2 Browning.

Doris Miller was not familiar with the weapon, but White and Delano instructed him on how to operate it.

Miller fired the gun until he ran out of ammunition, whereupon he was ordered by Lieutenant Claude V Ricketts to help carry the captain up to the navigation bridge out of the thick oily smoke generated by the many fires on and around the ship; Miller was officially credited with downing at least two hostile planes.

Doris Miller was recognized as one of the "first US heroes of World War II".

The photo caption stated that the Navy felt that Doris Miller was "too important waiting tables in the Pacific" for him to return to the United States.

Doris Miller was featured on the 1943 Navy recruiting poster "above and beyond the call of duty", designed by David Stone Martin.

Doris Miller's parents were informed that he was missing in action on December 7,1943.

Doris Miller was officially declared dead by the Navy on November 25,1944, a year and a day after the loss of Liscome Bay.