The
February 24, 2010
Portland Observer Black
History Month
Page 5
United States Sailor Served with Distinction
Stamp immortalizes
brave soldier
in its operation, he manned an unattended 50-
caliber machine gun to fire on Japanese aircraft
until ordered to abandon the bridge as fires raged
out of control. He was later awarded the Navy
Cross.
Miller was promoted in June 1943 to Officer’s
C ook Third C lass aboard the new escort aircraft
carrier Liscome Bay and was killed in action on
Nov. 24 that year along with more than 600 ship
mates when an enemy torpedo sank the ship dur
ing the invasion of the Gilbert Islands. His body
was lost at sea.
His stamp is based on a 1942 photograph and
depicts the crest of the destroyer escort USS
Miller, commissioned in 1973. Actor Cuba Gooding
Jr., portrayed Miller in the 2001 movie Pearl
Harbor.
Doris “Dorie” Miller, a revered U.S. Navy icon,
has been commemorated by the U.S. Postal Service
with his image on a new First-Class stamp.
The first black American hero of World War II,
Miller (1919-1943) became an inspiration to gen
erations of Americans for his actions at Pearl
Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941.
Serving aboard the battleship West Virginia as
a mess attendant — the only job rating open to
blacks at the time — Miller helped rescue scores of
shipmates wounded or trapped in wreckage.
He was later ordered to the bridge to help move
the ship s mortally wounded captain. Never trained
We stand together, richer for our differences
We celebrate the wisdom of collaboration and the strength in diversity.
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Possibility. In every direction.