USS West Virginia BB48 December 7, 1941
Doris “Dorie” Miller was an American Sailor in the United States Navy. He manned anti-aircraft guns during the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, for which he had no training, and tended to the wounded.
He was recognized by the Navy for his actions and awarded the Navy Cross.
Wikipedia Born: October 12, 1919, Waco, TX Died: November 24, 1943 in the Battle of Gilbert Islands….
Gilbert Islands, KiribatiBattles/wars: World War II: Pacific War > Attack on Pearl Harbor;Movies: The Liberators: Fighting on Two Fronts in World War II Awards: Navy Cross, Purple Heart, Asiatic–Pacific Campaign Medal, American Defense Service Medal, Siblings: Selvia Miller, Arthur Miller
This story is based on true events.
Sunday December 7, 1941
Earlier that morning around 6am my father Vernon was in the galley like every morning about the same time.
Vernon got back from liberty with his battle buddies just before midnight curfew. He was already in deep shit for missing curfew a couple of times.
Dorie and Vernon became fast friends in the summer of 1941 when the USS West Virginia left Long Beach Harbor for Pearl Harbor.
“Hey Dorie!” Vernon would holler out with that loud bos’n low growling voice. “How about some of that shitty coffee you make. And don’t screw up my easy over eggs this time.”
Sailors loved to to pick on each other a little. It was a respite from all the monotony aboard ship. They weren’t thinking about war or fighting in that moment.
They thought about being at the “ol’ Slop Shoot” in Honolulu. You know, a whiskey shooter in one hand and glass of beer in queue as a chaser, and the other arm around a beautiful young Hawaiian girl. Sweet…indeed
Life was good right then…before “all hell broke lose!” Vernon would say later.
Most loved the way Dorie made good food, cooking, and being away from home as close as possible to being in the kitchen with family. They all talked about Dorie this way. Christmas was coming and they wouldn’t be going home. Dorie would help them forget about that.
Dorie could turn a really bad day into a hell of a lot of laughs by all. Vernon loved Dorie. They all loved his huge smile, laughs, and stories from Waco.
It was this way on that Sunday morning on December 7, 1941. It was another beautiful sunny warm day in Pearl Harbor.
Life was good right then…before “all hell broke lose!” Vernon would say later.
Most loved the way Dorie made good food, cooking, and being away from home as close as possible to being in the kitchen with family. They all talked about Dorie this way. Christmas was coming and they wouldn’t be going home. Dorie would help them forget about that.
Dorie could turn a really bad day into a hell of a lot of laughs by all. Vernon loved Dorie. They all loved his huge smile, laughs, and stories from Waco.
It was this way on that Sunday morning on December 7, 1941. It was another beautiful sunny warm day in Pearl Harbor.
Vernon and Dorie talked of liberty that night. “Let’s go back to the ol’ Slop Shoot tonight, Dorie,” Vernon would yell and laugh at the same time in a mischievious way.
Surprise Japanese attack!
Shortly after that, a little after 8am, Vernon was under the turret on the main deck, yelling as loud as he could at his buddy Dorie. “Dorie, Dorie, get the hell down from that gun! Get down before you get killed. We are abandoning ship, Dorie! Can you hear me?”
He looked down at Vernon and yelled loudly, “I’m gonna shoot down another one of those Japs”. Vernon did succeed in getting Dorie to come down as the ship was being abandoned on the orders of Captain Mervyn Bannion.
Shortly later Vernon, Dorie and 100s of other shipmates jumped overboard. They swam to Ford Island through burning oil, strafing and more bombs.
It didn’t look good for them in that moment as they watched in horror as the USS Arizona was blown up and sinking. Sadly, too many of their shipmates didn’t make it on that day.
Warriors never forget their battle buddies who parished at sea or on land. “We will never ever forget them,” Vernon would say in his mind over and over again the rest of his life.
Saving Democracy…
A world without democracy seems so remote and scary, but it is very clear to me that the Free World would not exist today if it had not been for the sacrifice and bravery of so many millions of men and women who served in the military and in the private sector.
America built the most powerful fighting force in the world at that time. My own “boomer” generation was especially blessed with peace and prosperity following WWII.
I hope all of us born around the time of WWII have done our best to help preserve and protect our sacred liberties and freedoms we so enjoy to this day…
Vernon H. Sparks, Coxswain December 7, 1941
