When MSNow’s story shared reports that the U.S. Navy is considering stripping Miller’s name from the carrier meant to honor him and instead naming it for Donald Trump, a viewer, Gail Wolf, wrote MSNow the following letter. It is well worth the read. In the image to the left, “Dorrie” Miller is receiving the Navy Cross for his heroism aboard the USS West Virginia during the attack at Pearl Harbor, December 7, 1941, from fleet commander, Admiral Chester Nimitz.
To the editor:
Regarding Steve Benen’s Aug. 21 MaddowBlog post, “Navy discusses renaming aircraft carrier after Trump, instead of Black war hero”:
This article began: “During the attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941, an enlisted sailor named Doris Miller, a mess attendant, staffed an anti-aircraft gun. He hadn’t been trained on the weapon, but he did it anyway, and he was credited with shooting down at least one Japanese plane. During the crisis, Miller also dragged wounded U.S. sailors to safety before dying two years later in an attack during World War II.”
My father, Raymond Taylor (R.T.) Bray, served on the USS West Virginia with Doris (Dorie) Miller. They were at Pearl Harbor together.
Two weeks after the Japanese surprise attack in 1941, Dad wrote a riveting account of the bombing. Among the things he recorded were that Miller “deserves considerable credit” for his actions and that he had “carried an unconscious man under each arm” to safety. He also wrote: “I think he carried out more than any other four men together.” When my father spoke to me about his experience, he mentioned Miller with awe.
Miller, a Black mess attendant, was later nominated for a Medal of Honor for his heroics and received a Navy Cross.
There is no defensible reason a carrier slated to be named after Doris Miller should be renamed to honor a president who didn’t serve because of bone spurs.
Gail Wolf
Roseburg, Oregon
You can also read extensive coverage of the Navy’s consideration to rename the USS Doris Miller at Military.com and NBC News.
https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/trump-administration/navy-discusses-renaming-aircraft-carrier-trump-black-uss-doris-miller-rcna593667
The Navy was right to honor this Black war hero. That shouldn’t be undone for Trump.
