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Black History; Dorie Miller; Mess Attendant

Two images the one on the upper left is a portrait of Dorie Miller. The one of the lower right is a ship portside portrait of USS Miller.
Description: Poster; By William M. Moser; C. 1980; Unframed Dimensions 16H X 20W
Accession #: 2002-071-29
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Doris "Dorie" Miller was an American sailor in the United States Navy. He manned anti-aircraft guns and tended to the wounded during the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. He was awarded the Navy Cross for his bravery.


He was the first black American to be awarded the Navy Cross, the second highest decoration for valor awarded by the Navy, after the Medal of Honor. Nearly two years after Pearl Harbor, he was killed in action when a Japanese submarine sank his ship USS Liscome Bay (ACV/CVE 56) during the Battle of Makin.


The Knox-class frigate USS Miller (DD-535), in service from 1973 to 1991, was named after Doris Miller. On January 19, 2020, the Navy announced that CVN-81 would be named after him, a Gerald R. Ford-class aircraft carrier scheduled to be laid down in 2023 and launched in 2028.
 

Topic
  • People--African Americans
Document Type
  • Art
Wars & Conflicts
File Formats
  • Image (gif, jpg, tiff)
Location of Archival Materials
  • NHHC