Dorie Miller

Doris Miller was a brave and courageous African American who served in Pearl Harbor. Born on October 12, 1919 in Waco, Texas and died in 1944. Miller was a Mess Attendant on the ship USS Pyro then USS West Virginia while in the Navy. He received the Navy Cross for his effort and bravery on May 27, 1942. While in service he took down about one Japanese plane with a machine gun that he was inexperienced with.  Dorie was commended by Frank Knox in April of 1942 and received the Navy Cross which was presented by Chester W. Nimitiz. After his Navy Cross award, Miller joined the USS Liscome Bay in the spring of 1943. Later his service on that ship was cut short, because of the Japanese submarine torpedo attack which sunk the ship. It was pronounced in 1944 that Dorie Miller died.