Pearl Harbor, 80 years on: Veteran Doris Miller's legacy can be felt at home and across the country
US Military,Pearl Harbor,History,Race And Racism,American Heritage,Defense And Security
BREMERTON, Wash. — Doris Miller awoke before dawn and was gathering laundry aboard the USS West Virginia on a December morning 80 years ago when alarms rang out.
As Japanese aircraft pummeled Pearl Harbor, the 22-year-old mess attendant from Waco, Texas, placed himself in the line of fire on the battleship's deck, carrying wounded men to safety and eventually grabbing and firing a Browning machine gun he was untrained to use because of the color of his skin.
Despite his bravery, Miller never wanted to be a war hero.
"All he wanted to do was get to his next ship," said Regina T. Akers, a historian with the Navy's history and heritage command. "He wasn't really that comfortable with the spotlight."
America had other plans for him.
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