The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1943-12-25
Navy Admits Dorie Miller Is
Missing In Southwest Pacific

The Navy Department this week
confirmed reports that Dorie Miller.
first Negro bluejacket hero in this
war. Is missing In action" In the
Southwest Pacific. His next Of kin.
Mr.. and Mrs. Conery Miller, Waco,
Texas. have been notified.
Miller. a strappinR. 200-pound
former fullback from Waco's Moore
high school. was awarded the Navy
Cross by President Roosevelt for
distinguished devotion to duty
extraordinary courage and dis
regard for his own personal safety
during the attack on the fleet in
Pearl Harbor. Territory Of Hawaii.
by japanese forces on December z.
l94I."
At the same time. Miller received
letter Of commentator from the
Secretary Of the Navy and was
advanced in rating from mess at
tendant. third class. to mess attend
ant. first class. In addition. Blue
jacket Miller has received the
American Defense Service Medal
the Fleet Clasp and the Asiakc-
Gets Navy Cross
Admiral Chester W. Nimitz.
commander-in-chief of the Pacific
fleet. personally presented the Navy
Cross to Miller. in ceremonies
aboard United States warship in
the Pacific on May q. 1912. Pin
ming the bit OF ribbon and cross Of
bronze on the sailors breast. he
described his act OF heroism on the
US.S. Arizona during the japanese
attack or the Pearl Harbor naval
base. and complimented Miller on
being the first representative of his
race to he so honored in this war.
He then read the citation which
said:
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 di-
rected at enemy japanese attacking
aircraft until ordered to leave the
bridge"
Fight Explained
Later, in January. ls43. while
visiting the u. S. Naval Training
Station at Great Lakes. m, Blue
jacket Miller explained that the
Pearl Hsrbor incident marked his
first experience with a machine gun.
Addressing hundreds OF Negro blue
jackets who are now being taught
at Great Lakes to handle such
weapons. Miller said:
1T wasn't hard. I Just pulled the
trigger and she worked fine. had
watched the others with these guns
/ guess I fired her for about Is
minutes at those Jap planes. They
were diving pretty close to US"
Trained a Nerfslk
Miller. WHO was born October II,
1919. left his fathers small Waco,
Texas. farm on September 70, lo3o,
70 enlist N HE navv 80 q maaaanN.
tendant third class, at Dallas, Texas
He was sent to the Naval Training
Station at Norfolk. Va, and then
was assigned to the u. S. Arixons
on which he served until the morn
ing Of the japanese attack on Pearl
Harbor.
Official reports reveal that he
arose at 6 am. on the morning OF
December 7. and was collecting
laundry when the alarm for general
quarters sounded. He headed for
his battle station-the anti-aircraft
battery magazine amidships-only
to discover that torpedo damage
already had rendered il untepable
So he went on deck whereabouts
OF his powerful size-he was imme-
diately assigned to the task Of carry
ing wounded TO places Of greater
safety. An officer ordered him to the
bridge TO aid the MORALLY wounded
captain. Miller helped remove the
dying officer and then returned TO
the machine gun.
Served New Ship
Since Pearl Harbor. Miller has
been assigned TO various other naval
vessels. Shortly before he was re-
ported missing in action, he was
serving aboard the Aircraft Carrier
Liscome Bay which was sunk by
enemy action in the Southwest
Pacific on November "a. l943.
Miller's parents live at Route I.
Box l6l. Waco. Texas. The missing
hero has three brothers. one a pri-
vste in the U. S. army.