We The People: This Day in History, December 7
Doris Miller Pearl Harbor Heroism and Legacy
WACO, Texas (KWTX) - On December 7, 1941, the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor plunged the United States into World War II, and Waco native Doris Miller emerged as an American hero.
Assigned as a mess attendant aboard the USS West Virginia, discrimination limited Black servicemen like Miller to non-combat roles.
However, when chaos erupted, Miller defied expectations.
He rushed to the deck, carried his wounded captain to safety, then, without training and against regulations, he manned a .50-caliber machine gun and fired at enemy aircraft.
His extraordinary courage earned him the Navy Cross, making him the first African American ever to receive this high honor.
Miller continued to serve, rising to Petty Officer before being killed in action in November 1943.
Today, Doris Miller’s legacy is proudly honored in Waco through memorials and a bronze statue.
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