US Navy Names New Aircraft Carrier After Black WWII Hero Sailor

[Asia Economy Reporter Naju-seok] On the 20th (local time), the U.S. Navy named a newly constructed aircraft carrier after Seaman Doris Miller, who participated in World War II.

Thomas Modly, Acting Secretary of the U.S. Navy, announced this fact at the Martin Luther King memorial ceremony held at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.

In 1942, when the Japanese Navy launched a surprise attack on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, Seaman Miller was a serviceman who attacked Japanese Navy aircraft with an anti-aircraft machine gun. As a crew member of the USS West Virginia, he is known to have held onto the anti-aircraft machine gun until the order to abandon ship was given. Moreover, he was originally a cook who had never been trained to operate the anti-aircraft machine gun, but he responded to the attack.

According to U.S. Navy war records, Miller is believed to have shot down a Japanese aircraft with the machine gun he operated.

In the movie "Pearl Harbor," directed by Michael Bay, there is a soldier who uses a machine gun for anti-aircraft fire during the Japanese air raid, recreating Seaman Miller's actions at that time.

Miller was recognized for his merit at the time and received the Navy Cross. He was the first African American to receive the Navy Cross in U.S. Navy history.

Acting Secretary Modly stated, "Seaman Miller's story must be remembered," and added, "This is the first time a seaman's name has been given to an aircraft carrier."

Miller died in 1943 when the ship he was on was sunk by a torpedo attack from a Japanese submarine. At the time of sinking, Miller was classified as missing, but was reclassified as killed in action a year later.