Thomas H . Miller Lieutenant General Thomas H . Miller , was a United States Marine Corps Naval Aviator and test pilot . Miller saw active combat in World War II , Korea , and Vietnam . As a test pilot , he set a World Speed Record in an F4H - 1 ( F4B ) Phantom . He was the first American to fly the Marine Corps ' new AV - 8A Harrier jet , capable of vertical takeoff and landing , orchestrating its procurement for the Marine Corps and oversee development of the concept during his career . For this effort , Miller was known as " the father of STOVL ( short take - off and vertical landing ) aviation in the USMC . " Education . Lieutenant General Miller was born June 3 , 1923 , in San Antonio , Texas . He attended Schreiner Institute , Kerrville , Texas , and played college football at the University of Texas . General Miller attended the Naval War College , Newport , RI , and studied at the University of Maryland . He was also a graduate of the Amphibious Warfare School , Senior Course , Quantico , Virginia . Military service . Miller enlisted in the U . S . Naval Reserve in June 1942 shortly after the outbreak of World War II , was designated as an Aviation Cadet and underwent flight training at the Naval Air Station Dallas and NAS Corpus Christi , Texas . When Student Naval Aviators earned their wings they also received a commission in the U . S . Navy , or the Marine Corps , if they so chose . When Miller was nearing completion of flight school , he heard a talk from several WWII Marine combat aviators . He was impressed enough by these men and their accounts of combat that he , along with classmate John Glenn opted for the Marine Corps , reasoning that the Marine Corps offered a better chance to fly fighters than did the Navy . Miller was commissioned a Marine Second Lieutenant and designated a Naval Aviator on March 1 , 1943 . WWII . Miller trained at MCAS Cherry Point North Carolina prior to reporting to MCAS El Centro California , in June 1943 , for duty as a pilot with Marine Observation Squadron 155 , later designated as Marine Fighter Squadron 155 . He deployed to the Pacific the following February , participating in combat operations on Midway Island and the Gilbert and Marshall Islands . Test pilot . After WWII , he graduated from the first Test Pilot School , and served as a test pilot and Projects Officer at the Naval Test Center Naval Air Station Patuxent River , Maryland from 1945 - 46 . He went on to be one of the first naval aviators to fly the YP - 59 jet fighter and many of the earliest helicopters . In between service in Korea and Vietnam , Miller was assigned as Officer - in - Charge of the Marine team participating in the Fleet Introduction Program ( FIP ) for the evaluation and introduction of the new A - 4 Skyhawk attack aircraft into Navy and Marine Corps Squadrons . In 1960 , he served at the Bureau of Aeronautics , later the Bureau of Naval Weapons , Washington , DC , as a research and development project officer of the F4H - 1 ( later the F - 4B ) Weapons System , during which time he set the 500 kilometer Closed Course World Speed Record at 1 , 216 . 78 miles per hour at Edwards Air Force Base , California , on September 5 , 1960 . In 1965 , General Miller was assigned to head the U . S . Marine Corps Air Weapons Systems Requirements section . His development of the military helicopter during this time helped generate a new level of helicopter capability for civilian use in a broad range of applications , ranging from police and Medivac work to corporate executive transportation . He was the first American to fly the Marine Corp ’ s new AV - 8A jet , capable of vertical takeoff and landing , and in April 1968 , he was the first to fly the Phantom jet coast to coast without refueling . Korean War . Miller participated in combat operations in Korea with Marine Attack Squadron 323 , serving as both the Operations Officer and Executive Officer . In May 1953 , he served in the Joint Operations Center in Seoul , Korea , as Marine Intelligence and Air Targets Officer . It was during the Korean War that he saw the potential of then - embryonic helicopters for the search and rescue of downed airmen . Vietnam War . Miller served as Executive Officer , Marine Attack Squadron 224 and , as Commanding Officer of Marine Fighter / Attack Squadron 513 , deployed to the Republic of Vietnam in May 1965 . He was promoted to Brigadier General in August 1969 , and was ordered to the Republic of Vietnam in December 1969 , where he served as Assistant Chief of Staff , and later as the Chief of Staff , III Marine Amphibious Force . Staff assignments . In January 1971 , Miller was assigned as Assistant Wing Commander , and then Commander , 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing , MCAS Cherry Point . During General Officer confirmation consideration on the Senator floor in 1975 , Senator John Glenn praised Miller with the following words : " I know of no man to whom I would give higher recommendation for any position than Tom Miller . He is dedicated to doing what is right , is a fine Christian gentleman in every sense and I deem our country fortunate to have a man of this caliber . " In April 1975 , he assumed command as General , Fleet Marine Force Pacific . In August 1975 , he was Deputy Chief of Staff for Aviation at Headquarters Marine Corps where he led the successful effort to develop and procure the improved AV - 8B Harrier and to obtain funds to launch the unique tilt rotor V - STOL V22 Osprey Transport . Retirement . He retired from active duty on July 1 , 1979 as a Lieutenant General . After retirement , Miller served on the Department of Defense Science Board , the National Academy of Science , the Federal Aviation Administration , the National Museum of Naval Aviation , the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation , Washington Airports Task Force , and the Air and Space Heritage Council for the expansion of the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum . He died of cancer at his home in Arlington , Virginia on November 27 , 2007 and was interred at Arlington National Cemetery Awards and honors . Miller ' s personal decorations and awards included the Navy Distinguished Service Medal , the Legion of Merit , the Distinguished Flying Cross , and the Air Medal .