| On December 7, 1941, when the Japanese made their infamous
surprise attack at Pearl Harbor, a black cook, Doris
"Dorie" Miller took over a
machine gun aboard theUSS West Virginia and became one of the first
heroes of World War II. Miller dragged the ship's commanding officer, Capt.
Bennion out of the line of fire, and manned the ship's machine gun.
Despite shooting down several attacking aircraft his citiation for bravery
his citation reads: "For distinguished devotion to duty, extraordinary
courage and disregard for his own personal safety during the attack on
the Fleet in Pearl Harbor, Territory of Hawaii, by Japanese forces on December
7, 1941. While at the side of his Captain on the bridge, Miller, despite
enemy strafing and bombing and in the face of a serious fire, assisted
in moving his Captain, who had been mortally wounded, to a place of greater
safety, and later manned and operated a machine gun directed at enemy Japanese
attacking aircraft until ordered to leave the bridge."
Like Miller, no African-American sailor or officer was ever recommended
for or awarded a Congressional Medal of Honor. They served despite many
other similar heroic efforts, and under extremely oppresive conditions
during World War II. Many often fought a quiet, internal battle with officers
who consistantly implemented unlawful orders, denied them equal protection
under the Constitution, and generally put their men at risk in the face
of the enemy. |
