Talk:Doris Miller

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I've not edited before because I haven't felt the need to. Apologies if there are any procedural errors. This error has been here since 2004: Doris Miller was never confirmed to have shot down any aircraft, and indeed did not claim to have done so, but is quoted as saying he might have. This is another case where a movie has re-written history (Perl Harbor Movie) to take either fiction or unsubstantiated events as fact (U571 springs to mind!). I've removed the piece where it stated "During the battle, he shot down at least one Japanese aircraft before...". Miller is quoted elsewhere as saying "I think I got one of those Jap planes". But thats not enough to make it a fact. Mononen

Added the rest of the Nimitz quote from the official Navy page in the reference list. I think it adds some additional context to the dicussion over the Navy's racial polices in the 1940s.

Elektrotek85 07:05, 25 June 2006 (UTC)elektrotek85

You might want to look through "What links here" and make the same correction where necessary -- for example, Attack on Pearl Harbor. Melchoir 08:53, 26 July 2006 (UTC)

[edit] copyvio

The following section was copied in total from http://www.usspennsylvania.com/DavidsCorner.htm#Doris%20Miller%20and%20his%20Navy%20Cross:%20a%20brief%20biography It is relevant, but needs to be rewritten.

[edit] Call for recognition

Admiral Chester W. Nimitz pins Navy Cross on Doris Miller, at ceremony on board warship in Pearl Harbor, 27 May 1942

The 1941 Honor Roll of Race Relations named an "unknown Negro mess man"^[1]and on 12 March 1942 Dr. Lawrence D. Reddick announced, after corresponding with the Navy, that he found the name was "Doris Miller." The next day, US Senator James M. Mead introduced a Senate Bill to award Miller the Medal of Honor, without knowing what Miller’s deeds were for the basis of such award.

On 14 March 1942, The Pittsburgh Courier released a story that named the black mess man as "Dorie" Miller, using his nickname. On 17 March Representative John D. Dingell, Democrat from Michigan, introduced a matching bill as the one in the US Senate to award to Miller the Medal of Honor. On 21 March, The Pittsburgh Courier initiated a write-in campaign to send Miller to the Naval Academy.

Letters of Commendation from the Secretary of the Navy were finally issued. Miller’s commendation of 1 April 1942 cited his "distinguished devotion to duty, extraordinary courage and disregard of his personal safety during the attack on the Fleet in Pearl Harbor on 7 December 1941. 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 until ordered to leave the bridge."^[2]

The Secretary of the Navy, Frank Knox, sent a letter on 9 April to the US House of Representatives Chairman of Naval Affairs, outlining the requirements of the Medal of Honor versus the deeds of Miller, and recommending against an award of the Medal of Honor.

During the All-Southern Negro Youth Conference of 17 April, a signature campaign was launched to give proper recognition to Doris Miller. Miller’s parents were brought to the conference and awarded a $100 defense bond.

On 10 May, the National Negro Congress denounced Frank Knox’s recommendation to decline the Medal of Honor for Miller. But the next day, President Franklin D. Roosevelt approved the Navy Cross, the Navy’s third highest medal at the time, for Miller.^[1]

Finally, on May 27, 1942, Admiral Chester W. Nimitz personally awarded Miller the Navy Cross aboard USS Enterprise. In his address, Nimitz remarked that "This marks the first time in this conflict that such high tribute has been made in the Pacific Fleet to a member of his race and I'm sure the future will see others similarly honored for brave acts."