When the attack on Pearl Harbor began, Doris “Dorie” Miller was working laundry duty on the USS West Virginia.
He’d enlisted in the Navy at age 19 to explore life outside of Waco, Texas, and to make some extra money for his family. But the Navy was segregated at the time, so Miller, an African-American, and other sailors of color like him weren’t allowed to serve in combat positions. Instead, they worked as cooks, stewards, cabin boys, and mess attendants. They received no weapons training and were prohibited from firing guns.
As the first torpedoes fell, Dorie Miller had an impossible choice: follow the rules or help defend the ship?
For Miller, the choice was obvious.
Photo courtesy of the U.S. National Archive and Records Administration.
USS West Virginia and USS Tennessee surrounded in smoke and flames following the surprise attack by Japanese forces.
First, he reportedly carried wounded sailors to safety , including his own captain. But there was more to be done.
In the heat of the aerial attack, Miller saw an abandoned Browning .50 caliber anti-aircraft machine gun on deck and immediately decided to fly in the face of segregation and military rules to help defend his ship and country.