Doris "Dorie" Miller (born October 12, 1919) earned the Navy Cross for carrying wounded sailors and manning a .50-caliber antiaircraft gun during the December 7, 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor. He later died on November 24, 1943, when the escort carrier Liscome Bay sank after a torpedo strike. In 2020 the Navy announced that CVN 81 would be named USS Doris Miller, the first aircraft carrier named for an African American and for an enlisted sailor; the Ford-class carrier is scheduled for delivery in February 2032.
Doris "Dorie" Miller: Pearl Harbor Hero and Namesake of the USS Doris Miller
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Doris "Dorie" Miller is remembered as one of the most celebrated enlisted sailors in U.S. naval history. His actions during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor and his later sacrifice in the Pacific helped ensure that his name will live on — most notably as the namesake of the Navy's upcoming aircraft carrier, CVN 81.
Early Life and Naval Service
Doris Miller was born on October 12, 1919, and enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 1939. He served in enlisted roles that included ship's mess attendant and ship's cook, third class. Miller served aboard the Colorado-class battleship USS West Virginia when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941.
Heroism at Pearl Harbor
During the attack on Pearl Harbor, Miller left his assigned duties below decks to help wounded shipmates and to fight back against the assault. Witnesses reported that he carried injured sailors to safety and manned a .50-caliber antiaircraft machine gun — a weapon he had not been trained to operate — firing until it ran out of ammunition. For these actions he was awarded the Navy Cross, the first such decoration presented to an African American sailor. Admiral Chester W. Nimitz presented the medal to Miller aboard the USS Enterprise on May 27, 1942.
United States Navy
"He carried wounded sailors to safety and manned a gun despite having no formal training — actions that earned him the Navy Cross and enduring recognition."
Final Deployment and Death
Miller continued to serve in the Pacific and was assigned to the escort carrier USS Liscome Bay. On November 24, 1943, Liscome Bay was struck by a torpedo and sank near Butaritari in the Gilberts. Miller died in that sinking; hundreds of crew members were lost with the ship.
Legacy and the USS Doris Miller
On January 20, 2020, Acting Secretary of the Navy Thomas B. Modly announced that CVN 81 would be named USS Doris Miller. The naming — made during a Martin Luther King Jr. Day event at Pearl Harbor — marks the first time a U.S. aircraft carrier has been named for an African American and the first to honor an enlisted sailor. Miller had previously been honored by the Navy with another namesake vessel: the USS Miller, commissioned in 1973 and later reclassified as a frigate before being removed from the Naval Register in 1995.
About the Gerald R. Ford-Class Carrier
The USS Doris Miller will be the fourth Gerald R. Ford-class aircraft carrier. Ford-class carriers measure approximately 1,092 feet from bow to stern, have a 124-foot beam, a flight deck about 256 feet wide, and are capable of cruising near 30 knots. These ships incorporate 23 new or upgraded systems that reduce crew requirements and modernize operations. Combined with improved construction processes and upgraded systems, each Ford-class carrier is projected to achieve roughly $4 billion in lifecycle savings compared with older Nimitz-class carriers.
Why It Matters: Miller's story connects individual bravery to broader changes in the Navy — from recognition of African American service members to modern ship design — and symbolically links past sacrifice to future capability.
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