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Dorie Miller Facts
for kids
The following fact
sheet contains interesting information, history and
facts on Dorie Miller for kids.
Dorie Miller
Facts for kids
Dorie Miller
Facts - 1: Doris "Dorie"
Miller was born on October 12, 1919, the son of
sharecroppers Henrietta and Conery Miller from Waco,
Texas.
Dorie Miller
Facts -
2: He was the
third of four sons and was named by the midwife who
assisted with his birth, before the birth his mother had
been positive that the baby would be a girl.
Dorie Miller
Facts - 3: Dorie Miller attended the A.
J. Moore High School in Waco but he was forced to drop out of school
during the Great Depression to help out with the farming. He also
managed to get part time work in a small restaurant in Waco.
Dorie Miller
Facts - 4: At the age of 19 years old
Dorie Miller enlisted in the US Navy on September 16, 1939 hoping
for the opportunity to see the world and to send money home to his
family. Due to segregation African-Americans were limited in the US
Navy to non-combat positions as mess attendants, stewards, and
cooks.
Dorie Miller
Facts - 5: Dorie Miller undertook boot
camp training in Norfolk, Virginia and was assigned to the
ammunition ship Pyro at the Pearl Harbor naval base in Hawaii as a
Mess Attendant, Third Class. A mess man was basically expected
to attend to the needs of the officers and crew serving food,
clearing tables and cleaning dishes. Other duties of a mess
attendant included making beds and cleaning the bedroom and
bathrooms of the officers.
Dorie Miller
Facts - 6: On January 2,
1940, he was transferred to the battleship USS West
Virginia, where he became the main cook. The West
Virginia lay moored at Pearl Harbor with 40 feet of
water beneath her keel.
Dorie Miller
Facts - 7: Dorie Miller was a
big man, standing at 6′ 3″ and weighing over 200 lbs,
and became the Heavyweight Boxing champion of the USS
West Virginia.
Dorie Miller
Facts - 8: On Sunday morning
on December 7, 1941 Dorie Miller was up early at 06.00am
earning extra money by providing wake-up calls to the
officers of the USS West Virginia and cleaning their
rooms.
Dorie Miller
Facts -
9: At 08.10am the
Japanese launched their surprise attack on Pearl Harbor
- their primary targets were the US battleships. The
Japanese first wave of attack consisted of 51 dive
bombers, 40 torpedo bombers, 50 high level bombers and
43 fighters. Japanese submarines assisted the attack
firing their torpedoes at the battleships
Dorie Miller
Facts - 10: The USS West
Virginia was hit by torpedoes almost immediately.
General quarters were sounded and Dorie scrambled to
report to his battle station.
Dorie Miller
Facts -
11: His battle station
had been destroyed and he was ordered by by Lieutenant
Commander Doir C. Johnson to run across the deck and
help to carry wounded men to the shelter of the
quarterdeck.
Dorie Miller
Facts - 12: News that the ship's captain,
Mervyn Bennion, had been badly injured and Dorie Miller was ordered
to bridge to get the captain to safety - Captain Bennion had a
gaping wound in his abdomen but refused to leave his post (he later
died of his injuries).
Dorie Miller
Facts - 13: Lieutenant Frederic H. White
then ordered Dorie Miller to help him and Ensign Victor Delano to
load the unmanned anti-aircraft machine guns. He was only expected
to load ammo into both guns but he used his initiative and
manned one of the guns and started firing into the air at the
dive-bombing Japanese airplanes.
Continued...
Dorie Miller
Facts for kids
Facts
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The following fact
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on Dorie Miller for kids.
Dorie Miller
Facts for kids
Dorie Miller
Facts - 14: Dorie Miller had never
received training in operating the big anti-aircraft guns, only
white sailors were given gunnery training, but he bravely fired the
gun until he ran out of ammunition.
Dorie Miller
Facts - 15: Dorie Miller Quote on manning the
anti-aircraft gun in the Japanese attack on Pearl
Harbor:
Dorie Miller
Facts - 16: After running out
of ammunition, still under enemy fire, he went on to
help pull injured sailors out of the water to safety
"unquestionably saving the lives of a number of people
who might otherwise have been lost."
Dorie Miller
Facts - 17: The USS West
Virginia was hit by seven 18-inch aircraft torpedoes and
two bombs (15-inch armor-piercing shells fitted with
fins). The damage was so severe that the crew were
ordered to abandon ship. A short time later the great
West Virginia battleship sank.
Dorie Miller
Facts - 18: Of the 1,541 men
on USS West Virginia during the Japanese attack, 130
were killed and 52 were wounded. The battleship had been
struck by 9 Japanese torpedoes.
Dorie Miller
Facts -
19: On December 13, 1941 Dorie Miller was
reassigned to USS Indianapolis and promoted to the rank
of Mess Attendant First Class
Dorie Miller
Facts - 20: The first reports
of the attack on the USS West Virginia made reference to
the brave actions of an unidentified African-American
sailor. He was later identified as Doris "Dorie" Miller
and awarded the Medal of Honor.
Dorie Miller
Facts -
21:
On May 11, 1942 President Roosevelt approved the
Navy Cross for Dorie Miller which was presented to him
on May 27, 1942 by Admiral Chester W. Nimitz, Commander
in Chief, Pacific Fleet, aboard the aircraft carrier
Enterprise.
Dorie Miller
Facts -
22: The famous Dorie
Miller deeds of valor became well known and the
African-American hero became a role model for many young
Americans and was featured on recruitment posters
carrying the words "December 7, 1941 - Remember!".
Dorie Miller
Facts -
23: His fame was such
that he was included in a war bond tour and gave talks
from Great Lakes Naval Training Station, in Chicago,
Illinois.
Dorie Miller
Facts -
24: On May 15, 1943
Dorie Miller was reassigned to the newly constructed
escort carrier USS Liscome Bay and promoted to the rank
of Mess Petty Officer, Ship′s Cook Third Class
Dorie Miller
Facts -
25: After training in
Hawaii the USS Liscome Bay took part in the Battle of
Makin Island that began on November 20, 1943. Makin is
the name of a chain of islands located in the Pacific
and the northernmost of the Gilbert Islands
Dorie Miller
Facts -
26: In the early hours
of 24 November, 1943 the USS Liscome Bay was sunk by the
Japanese submarine I-175. There were only 272 survivors
and the rest of the crew, including Doris "Dorie" Miller
was listed as “presumed dead”. parents were notified
their son’s death on December 7, 1943, exactly two years
after his acts of heroism during the Japanese attack on
Pearl Harbor.
Dorie Miller
Facts -
27: The life of this
young African-American hero has been honored in many
ways. Orson Welles presented a radio tribute to Dorie
Miller broadcasted on April 25, 1944. And he has
been portrayed in films including the 1970 movie Tora!
Tora! Tora! in which he was portrayed by Elven Havard
and the 2001 movie Pearl Harbor in which he was
portrayed by Cuba Gooding, Jr.
Dorie Miller
Facts -
28: In February 2010 the US Postal
Service issued a set of four commemorative first class
44-cent stamps honoring "Distinguished Sailors" from the
nation’s history. The four sailors honored included
Doris "Dorie" Miller.
Dorie Miller
Facts for kids
Dorie Miller Medal of
Honor Commendation
Dorie Miller was recognized as one of the first US
heroes of WW2 and was commended in a letter signed by
Secretary of the Navy Frank Knox on April 1, 1942.
Dorie Miller Navy Cross
Commendation
On May 11, President Franklin D. Roosevelt approved
the Navy Cross for Dorie Miller. He was subsequently presented with
the Navy Cross on May 27, 1942 by Admiral Chester W. Nimitz,
Commander in Chief, Pacific Fleet, aboard the aircraft carrier
Enterprise.
Facts
about
Dorie Miller for kids:
For visitors interested in the history of
Pearl Harbor refer to the following articles:
Dorie Miller Facts for kids - President Franklin Roosevelt Video
This article provides detailed facts and a summary of one of the
brave men who fought at Pearl Harbor during his presidential term in office. The following
Franklin Roosevelt video will
give you additional important facts and dates about the political events experienced by the 32nd American President whose presidency spanned from March 4, 1933 to April 12, 1945.
Dorie Miller Facts
●
Interesting Facts about Dorie Miller for kids and schools
● Doris "Dorie" Miller
Facts for kids
●
Dorie Miller Facts with important dates and key
events
●
Franklin Roosevelt
Presidency from March 4, 1933 to April 12, 1945
●
Fast, fun, Dorie Miller Facts for kids
●
Foreign & Domestic
policies of President Franklin Roosevelt
● Franklin Roosevelt Presidency and
Dorie Miller Facts for schools,
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