{"id":38403,"date":"2020-01-18T03:58:46","date_gmt":"2020-01-18T03:58:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/marinecorpstimes\/uncategorized\/2020\/01\/18\/navy-to-name-carrier-honoring-pearl-harbor-hero-miller\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T20:01:19","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T20:01:19","slug":"navy-to-name-carrier-honoring-pearl-harbor-hero-miller","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/marinecorpstimes\/news\/your-marine-corps\/2020\/01\/18\/navy-to-name-carrier-honoring-pearl-harbor-hero-miller\/","title":{"rendered":"Navy to name carrier honoring Pearl Harbor hero Miller"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

HONOLULU \u2014 The U.S. Navy is expected to honor a World War II hero when a new aircraft carrier is named for Mess Attendant 2nd Class Doris Miller<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The announcement is expected to be made at Pearl Harbor Monday, The Honolulu Star-Advertiser reported Friday<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Miller was the first African American to receive the Navy Cross for combat valor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Miller was recognized for manning a machine gun on the battleship West Virginia and returning fire against Japanese planes during the Dec. 7, 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A destroyer escort previously was named in his honor<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Mess Attendant 2nd Class Doris Miller receives the Navy Cross from Adm. Chester W. Nimitz at a ceremony held on the flight deck of the aircraft carrier Enterprise at Pearl Harbor, 27 May 1942. (National Archives)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI think that Doris Miller is an American hero simply because of what he represents as a young man going beyond the call of what\u2019s expected,\u201d said Doreen Ravenscroft, a team leader for the Doris Miller Memorial.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

An African American was not allowed to man a gun in the Navy in 1941, Ravenscroft said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Without him really knowing, he actually was a part of the Civil Rights movement because he changed the thinking in the Navy,” Ravenscroft said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Two of Miller’s nieces are expected to be at Pearl Harbor for the announcement on Martin Luther King Jr. Day.<\/p>\n\n\n\t