Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1944-05-16
From the
South Pacific

but there was no sign of a
worthwhile target.
BY that time their plane was
near Truk and Buzz didn't feel
like hauling his bombs back
home
So he decided TO hit the jap
base single-handed.
Unlike most strikes, as he
neared the waters around the
target, Buzz came in very low,
at 200 feet.
When you do that with a
huge Liberator over the un-
friendliest spot in the Pacific,
you're not exactly dancing a
waltz with Aunt Josephine.
But the maneuver paid off
like a marriage TO Tommy Man
vile.
The Japs. certain he was a
pal, turned on navigation lights
for him on the reef. and on tall
masts and hills and give him
much aid in general.
They probably would have
switched on the air field lights
and produced couple Of quarts
of saki but the Liberator
opened her bomb bays about
that time and dropped some
lilies on a Jap destroyer.
Whereupon the Nips grew ex-
tremely peeved about the whole
situation and started shooting.
But Buzz was on his way home
TO bed.
HERE'S another example on
H the Buzz Miller technique.
And l quote now from a bule-
tin that fell into my hands the
other day
"He (MilIer) flew to UiuI
Island first and blew up the
only Jap building on the place.
He did the same for the Japs on
igup. Warmed up, he went over
To Ruo where he found five
small transports. He sank two
and damaged three.
Then he went over to Murilo
where he found two moro small
transports tied up to q patrol
ship. He sank one transport and
then. out Of bombs, ne chased
the other two ships around tho
bay until both Of them. dam
aged. went aground"
Stories like these, and there
are AT least 20 of them around,
fascinated me.
This. / told myself. was a guy
I would have TO meet.
SO l flew the necessary miles
and sought Buzz out.
Frankly. expected 10 meet q
kid who was just a BIT wilder,
Just bit less conservative. than
the average. got the shock OF
my life.
Comdr. Norman NJ. Miller.
, graduate of Annapolis, class of
1881, is 36 years of age.
Born in Winston Salem. ". c..
he's a square jawed chap. tall.
thin, thoroughly trained.
And If any of you ancient
buffers back home think YOU
have priority on the next gem
Grafton. let me advise you has
-~tlly>~that Buzz is the father OF
five children-three boys, two
girls.
THERE'S no phoney modesty 4
about this man. He call
n ngS precisely as he sees
them. You ike him immedi.
ately. He talks easily. smilngly.
II don't know much about
this hero business" he said. "All
l can tell you Is that I 60 out on
missions with my crew--and 81
far we've always come back.
only time ] get a bit on the
shaky side Is when we bring our
plane down at home and search
for damage. Then. II I see holes
and flax damage, I get q COM
plete realization of how hazard
Gus the Job has been. But until
that moment, I don't think any
real flier quite recognizes actual
fear.
"Oh, I know the risks and all
that. like to live just as much
as the next man does. and I can
assure you don't go out of my
way TO jeopardize my crew or
myself. But, after all, what IL
there to 1t?
"You fy of on a mission. II
you're afraid while you're head
ing toward your mission. you
don't belong In the air In the
first place. You fy for an hour,
or for several hours, In q ma
chine that IL the last word In
mechanical perfection. Then,
sud den y, you're over your
target.
cover n target. surely, there's
no opportunity for fear. You
have the utmost confidence IN
your men and your plane. Time
passes 10 swiftly that you can
not possibly think Of anything
hut the job In hand. And then,
before you know Il, you're on
your way home.
AS I said, It's when you get
back to your base and examine
the damnge-if any-that those
goose pimples often crop out.
You didn't know how close You
came until just then" He
grinned. with me, call 10
case Of where ignorance r.
AIl.s Akl-r. ..-..su