Doris “Dorie” Miller – US Navy Photo
Some good news is on the horizon: The US Navy has chosen Doris “Dorie” Miller, one of the guys who manned a gun at Pearl Harbor when the Japanese squadrons attacked and started sinking our ships, as the name for the next US Navy aircraft carrier.
Even when African Americans were denied the opportunity to serve in combat roles, they still found ways to distinguish themselves. Doris “Dorie” Miller was a steward aboard the USS West Virginia during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. Although he had never been trained on the ship’s weapons, he manned a machine gun during the attack and carried wounded sailors to safety. For his actions, Miller became the first African American to receive the Navy Cross. Following Dorie’s actions and lobbying from civil rights groups, the US Navy increasingly sent black sailors to sea in combat roles. On March 20, 1944, the Navy commissioned the destroyer escort USS Mason, the first ship to have a predominantly black crew.
USS Doris Miller (CVN-81) is a future Gerald R. Ford-class aircraft carrier of the United States Navy.[3][4] Doris Miller is scheduled to be laid down in 2023, launched in 2028 and commissioned in 2030. The ship will be built at Newport News Shipbuilding, a division of Huntington Ingalls Industries (formerly Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding) in Newport News, Virginia. – Wiki
The ship will honor Messman Second Class Doris Miller, who received the Navy Cross for his actions during the attack on Pearl Harbor.[5]
It will be the second ship named in his honor, the first being the destroyer escort USS Miller (FF-1091). 
US Navy photo
HOOOAH !!!!
Well Done
Good deal well deserved. Orifinally, I learned about Seaman Miller from AFRTS commercials oh those many years ago.
How many woke individuals with no knowledge of history will think the Navy is being progrsive by naming a ship after a woman?
While the movie Pearl Harbor was a bit of a stretch (Eagle Sqdn, Doolittle Raiders) The portrayal of Seaman Miller (Cuba Gooding Jr???) was spot on.
BZ Big Navy. Naming a fighting ship after a fighting man v a sniveling politician. Odd that it will take almost as long to build the new ship named for Dorie as the FIRST one served. May the sailors and aircrews that serve on this Warship, perform their duty as well as Dorie did.
For those who are unfamiliar with the incredible personal bravery of Doris Miller, we discussed him in a VF post a while back.
https://www.azuse.cloud/?p=86868
Thanks, Mason. The whole story needs to be told more than once. Maybe someone “out there” will stumble across it here and spread the word.
Ex-PH2: You’re a photographer. Care to comment on Miller’s photo. To me it screams “strength” and should be titled, “THIS is a US Navy Sailor”. It’s a simplistic pose, but brings out Miller’s strength and courage beautifully.
It would seem the Department of the Navy agrees with you. 🙂
https://museumofworldwarii.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Poster-Dorie-Miller.jpg
He was the subject of an early-war propaganda poster.
Orders of magnitude better than the “Harvey Milk”!
Well deserved
This dude was a bad ass and his chain of command probably took heat for trying to award him for that…
What a great story he is!
Looks like Nimitz had no problem pinning the Navy Cross on his chest
https://worldwar2database.com/gallery/wwii1066
Good to hear this… and long overdue.
Doris “Dorie” Miller.
A True Hero.
Never underestimate the power and strength of a Mess Daddy.
Salute.
I am waiting for BLM to tear down his statue as well.
It’s probably best to get names locked in on all of those Ford-class carriers before the next Dem admin or USS Obama will be a reality.
Well done, Navy. Finally.
A fighting ship named after a fighting man. BLM, take note. This is what a good man looks and acts like, not the race-baiting leaders you follow today.
A well earned honor for a great American. Thank you for what you did for us all then, Dorie Miller. Naming a great ship after a great American is very appropriate.
(No disrespect for the man is intended. I do not know how to properly address such a hero, given that a cursory inquiry indicated that he may have been one of several ratings, perhaps MS2 being the correct one. Or not. “Mess Attendant First Class” is how his Navy Cross addresses him.)
Looking forward to updates on the status of the carrier which will bear his name.
It’s confusing as heck, especially to those of us nautically challenged.
Here’s a link that can help describe it. https://uniform-reference.net/insignia/usn/usn_ww2_enl_steward.html
Mess Attendant 3rd-1st were the junior enlisted ranks, then Messman/Cook/Steward were the petty officer ratings, which again go from 3rd-1st class.
I have always been impressed with Doris Miller and his actions in the face of danger.
Does he have any living relatives?
Doing some Internet digging, he had three siblings;
– Selvia Miller (Pvt, USA, WWII) b. 22Feb14 d. 27Mar88
– Arthur James Miller (USA, WWII) b. 1921 d. 1990
– Conery Miller Jr. (Pvt, USA, WWII) b. 28Apr16 d. 15Jun1967
Many of his relations, including his mother and father, are interred at Doris Miller Memorial Park, Waco, TX.
I can only find what looks to be one nephew of Doris’s. Selvia “Junior” Miller, Jr (son of Selvia Miller) was born in 1957. Looks like he was notable for being a first round NFL draft pick in 1980 (seventh overall pick). After playing for the University of Nebraska, he was drafted by the Falcons as a tight end. He played there for four seasons and then a season in New Orleans with the Saints for a year before retiring.
He was a Pro Bowler in 1980 and 1981 and held the Falcons’ franchise record for receiving touchdowns by a rookie (nine). This wasn’t broken until 2018.
Three siblings that served during WWII. The Navy should name a ship after Doris Miller’s mother. Would be great having a family member at the launching.
Thank you Mason.