The American Legion - Dorie Miller Post #915

About Dorie Miller

The Hero Today

Today there are hundreds of VFW and American Legion Posts, schools, hospitals, housing projects, parks, and memorials in his name, including The American Legion, Department of Illinois, Dorie Miller Post #915. And yet, there is still no Medal of Honor for Doris Miller, despite the best efforts of numerous organizations and political leaders, most recently U.S. Reps. Eddie Bernice Johnson (Dallas) and Chet Edwards (Waco). As State Representative of Texas Jim Dunnam recently told a local newspaper, “His honor of the Navy Cross is a big deal, and we don’t want to belittle that award. It is a huge honor. But, in addition, his entitlement to the Medal of Honor is well-founded.” The members of The American Legion Dorie Miller Post #915 could not agree more.

In 2004, the late Elvin J. Carey, a past Post, District, Division and State Commander for The American Legion, Department of Illinois authored numerous resolutions to the National Convention of The American Legion requesting the Medal of Honor for Doris Miller posthumously, the most recent in 2004 just three years prior to past State Commander Carey’s death. Each one of his resolutions were adopted and supported on a national level by the largest Veteran’s organization in America, The American Legion.

Finally, as part of Black History Month, the U.S. Postal Service chose Miller as one of the Navy heroes to be honored in its “Distinguished Sailors” series in February 2010. Dorie Miller Post #915, Chicago, Illinois under the leadership of Gary D. Whyte, Commander, hosted an unveiling ceremony in conjunction with the United States Postal Service on Saturday, February 20, 2010. In reading about his character the stamp would have probably embarrassed the shy Miller. Even in a society that didn’t value him, he served — and paid the ultimate price.

Doris Miller’s unmarked grave is somewhere off the waters of the Gilbert Islands. His sacrifice may have helped change racism in the United States Armed Forces...but perhaps a more fitting tribute would be to pick up the torch and insist that America’s first hero from World War II finally receive the recognition that he so richly deserves — the Medal of Honor.

The Housing Committee of Dorie Miller Post #915 presents petitions for signatures at every Post event to garner support for the Medal of Honor initiative. Robert L. Davis, Chairman of the Housing Committee has reached out to other organizations across the United States that shares the namesake in a joint effort to obtain signatures to send to the United States Congress and President Barack Obama.

Sources:

Nelson, Dennis D. “The Integration of the Negro Into the U.S. Navy.”

(New York: Farrar, Straus and Young, 1951).

Reddick, L.D., “The Negro in the United States Navy during World War II,”

(The Journal of Negro History, April 1947).

Davis, Robert L. The American Legion, Department of Illinois

Dorie Miller Post #915, Chicago

Wilson, Joe Jr. “The 761st ‘Black Panther’ Tank Battalion in World War II:

An Illustrated History of the First African American Armored Unit to See Combat.”

(Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland & Company, Inc., 1999).

Miller, Vicki Gail. “Doris Miller: A Silent Medal of Honor.”

(Austin: Eakin Press, 1997).