• #7 Dorie Miller - America's First African American Hero of World War II

  • Mar 25 2022
  • Length: 14 mins
  • Podcast

#7 Dorie Miller - America's First African American Hero of World War II

  • Summary

  • In this episode we go back to November 23, 1943. That day, the American Navy was poised to support the invasion of Makin, a Japanese stronghold in the Gilbert Islands. Aboard the USS Liscome Bay, one of three American aircraft carriers participating in the attack on Makin,  was a Winner of the Navy Cross, the second highest award for bravery in the US Navy, Cook Third Class, Dorie Miller. Miller was well acquainted with danger, having manned a machine gun and downing at least two enemy airplanes during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. Today, as Japanese torpedoes streaked toward the ship he was on, would Miller survive, another encounter with Japan’s imperial forces?

    Main Points

    • Dorie Miller joined the US Navy in 1939 but because he was African American, only a few jobs were available to him. 
    • On December 7, 1941, Miller manned a machine gun on the USS West Virginia and shot down at least two Japanese airplanes. For this and his efforts to save his mortally wounded ship’s captain, Miller was awarded The Navy Cross.
    • Miller toured the nation during 1942 and 1943 as part of a nationwide effort to sell war bonds. 
    • On November 24, 1943, Miller was killed when his ship, the USS Liscome Bay sank off Markin Island in the Central Pacific.

    Takeaways

    • Miller displayed exceptional courage and leadership when manning the machine gun on the USS West Virginia during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. 
    • Miller’s hero status and high visibility served to motivate Americans to end racism both in the military and in civilian life.

    Dive Deeper…

    • Dorie Miller’s exploits at Pearl Harbor were dramatized in the 2001 movie titled Pearl Harbor. Available: IMDB.

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    Credits

    Grave Matters by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. Source: http://incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/index.html?isrc=USUAN1100215



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