TheTrueStoryofDorisMiller

by

MariaVelazquez

MerloInstitute

English56

Period3

Mrs.Mostafa

March12,2015

I.Introduction
1.Time:December7,1941
2.Place:PearlHarbor
3.Significance/Importance:DorisMiller
4.Thesis:ThestoryofDorisMillerhasbeenpartofalegendarymovie,butonlyafew
knowtherealstoryoftheAfricanAmericancookwhobecameaheroduringtheattack
onPearlHarbor.
II.Firstbodyparagraph
TopicSentence:TheearlylifeofDorisMiller.
A.Birthdate/place
B.Family
C.Teenageyears
TransitionSentence:BecomingaheavyweightchampiondidntmakeMillerfamous,sowhat
wasDorisfamousfor?
III.Secondbodyparagraph:
TopicSentence:Millerisfamousforbecauseofhisbraveryduringtheunexpectedattackon
PearlHarbor.
A.Helpedtheotherinjuredmembers
B.Manageda.50calibermachinegun
TransitionSentence:WeallknowthatDorisactedwithgreatbraveryduringtheattackonPearl
Harbor,butwhatexactlyhappenedduringthisattack?
IV.Thirdbodyparagraph

TopicSentence:Around7:55a.m.onDecember7,1941Doriswasontheshipsdeckgoing
aroundcollectingtheothercrewmemberslaundry.
A.Sundaymorningunexpectedattack
B.Millersstationwasdamaged
1.Toldtohelptheinjured
C.Hebeganshootinga.50machinegun
D.Hewastoldtohelpthecrewmembersoutthewaterwhilebeingunderfire
TransitionSentence:Millerriskedhislifeforhiscrewmember,butinwhatcircumstancesdidhe
die.
V.Fourthbodyparagraph
TopicSentence:MillercontinuedinthetheNavyinthePacifichewasrelocatedin1943onthe
U.S.SLiscomeBay.
A.Location/Date
B.Cause
C.Memorials
ConcludingSentence:
RestateThesisSentence:Doriswentbeyondhisdutytosavehiscrewmembers,andhelpout.
ManyofushaveseenthemoviePearlHarbor,andhowactorCubaGoodingJr.bringDoris
Millerstorytothebigscreen.Wehaveseenthemovie,butthatdoesntmeanweknowhisreal
story.

NotmanypeopleknoworhaveheardthenameDorisMillerwhensomeoneasksor
talkedaboutthisname.Iwasunfamiliarwiththisnameaswell.Millerislistedasoneofthe
bravestmenduringtheattackonPearlHarbor,andwasthefirstAfricanAmericantobeawarded
theNavyCrossbecauseofhisbraveactions..ThestoryofthisbraveAfricanAmericanhasbeen
partofalegendarymoviePearlHarbor.However,nottoomanypeopleknowthetruestoryof
DorisMillerwhobecameonofbravestheroduringthisattack.WhowasDorisMiller?
DorisMilleralsoknowasDoriebyhiscrewmemberswasbornOctober12,1919in
Waco,Texas.Hismother'snameisHenriettaandfathersConneryMiller.Hehadfourother
brothersheisthethirdofthem.Millerwouldhelparoundthehouseaslittlekid.ForExample,he
wouldcook,dothelaundry,andworkonhisfathersfarm.HewenttoWacosA.J.MooreHigh
School.Heplayedfullbackonhisschoolfootballteam.TheteammatesusedtocallhimRaging
Bullbecausehissize.Hisfamilywaspoor,buthewasstillbiginsize.Hewasfivefootnineand
weighedtwohundredlbs.Heworkedonhisdadsfarmuntiltheageofnineteen.Thenheleftto
DallastoenlistintheUSNavyasaMessAttendant.OnSeptember1939hewasadmitted.
DuringthistimethatwasonlymilitaryjobpositionopenedforAfricanAmericans.Doris
enlistedtotravelandearnmoneyforhisfamily.HewastrainedattheNavalTrainingstationin
Norfolk,Virginia.HewasthelaterassignedtotheshipUSSPyrowherehealsoworkedasa
MessAttendant.ThenonAugust3,1940hewastransferredtotheUSSWestVirginia.Whenhe
arrivedtotheWestVirginiahewassixfootandthreeandweighedovertwohundredlbs.Onthe

shiphecompletedinboxing.Hebecametheshipsheavyweightchampion.Winninga
heavyweightboxingchampiondidn'tmakeMillerfamous,sowhatwashefamousfor?

MillerisfamousbecauseofhisbravecourageduringtheattackonPearlHarbor.Hewas
onlyacookontheshiptheNavydidntallowAfricansAmericanstodomuchduringanyattack.
Whenthebombingbeganhehelpedcarrytheinjuredtoasaferpartoftheship.Healsocarried
theinjuredcaptainMervynBennion.Hepickeduphimupandcarriedhimtothefirstaidstation.
Thenhewentbackandloadeda.50calibermachinegun.Millerhadnotbeentrainedtofirethis
typeofgun.
Millersaid,Itwasnthard.IjustpulledthetriggerandsheworkedfineIjust
watchedtheotherswiththeseguns.IguessIfiredherforabout15minutes.IthinkIgot
oneoftheJapplanes.Theyweredivingprettyclosetous.1
AfteraweekoftheattackhewasreassignedtotheUSSEnterprise.Commander
inChiefAdmiralChesterW.NimitzpersonallypinnedtheNavyshighestawardfor
bravery.DoriswasthefirstAfricanAmericantoreceivethisaward.Wellweknowthat
heactedwithgreatcourageduringtheattack,butwhatexactlyhappenedduringthe
attack?
Around7:55a.m.onDecember7,1941hewasgoingaroundcollectingthe
crewmemberslaundry.ItwasaSundaymorningsotheywereeithersleepingorspending
theweekendofbase.NoonehadexpectedsuchasurprisingattackthatSundaymorning.
WhentheGeneralquarterssoundedthealarmherantohisstationantiaircraftbattery

"BeyondtheMovie:PearlHarborNationalGeographic."2005.6Mar.2015
<
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/pearlharbor/ngbeyond/people/
>

magazine.However,whenhegottothestationithadalreadybeendestroyedbya
torpedo.Theshipwasbeingattackedbymorethan200Japanesetorpedoplanesand
bombers.Becauseofhissizeandstrengthhewasorderedtohelpcarrytheinjured
memberstoasaferareaoftheboat.AfterHehadcarriedallthepossiblewoundedhe
founda.50caliberBrowningmachinegun.Hestartedshootingattheplanes.Hesays
thatheshotoneoftheplanes,butthereareotherversionsthathedidn'tshoottheplane
down.Whenhehadnobulletslefthewastoldtoleavetheship.Laterhewasagain
orderedonceagaintocarrycrewmembersoutofthewater.Hewasverybraverandput
hislifeindangerforothers.Heriskedhislifeforhiscrewmembers,buthowdidthis
braveherodie?
In1943DoriswasreassignedhestillcontinuedintheNavyaroundPacificonthe
USSLiscomeBay.OnNovember24,1943offthecoastofButaritariearlyinthemorning
aJapanesesubmarinetorpedohittheship.Thewholeshipexplodedintoflames,andsand
inlittletime.Only272menwereabletoberescued,butDoriswasnotoneofthemen.A
yearlateronNovember25,1944heandtheothermenwerepronounceddead.His
sacrificesabovehisdutygavehimagreatreputation,andmemorials.OnJune1973a
shipisnamedafterhimtheUSSMiller.Therearefoundationsafterhim,streets,aschool,
park,andmanyotherthings.Doriswentbeyondhisdutytosavehiscrewmembers,and
helpout.ManyofushaveseenthemoviePearlHarbor,andhowactorCubaGoodingJr.
bringDorisMillersstorytothebigscreen.Wehaveseenthemovie,butthatdoesnt
meanweknowhisrealstory.

Illustration

WorksCitedPage
http://www.greatblackheroes.com/government/dorismiller/
http://www.americainwwii.com/articles/thecookwhofoughtback/
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/pearlharbor/ngbeyond/people/