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Miller was a member of the U.S.S. West Virginia as a Messman Third Class during the attack on Pearl Harbor. He was awarded the Navy Cross--the third highest navy award for gallantry during combat--for "distinguished devotion to duty, extraordinary courage and disregard for his own personal safety during the attack. Miller, despite enemy strafing and bombing and in the face of serious fire, assisted in moving his Captain who had been mortally wounded to a place of greater safety and later manned and operated a machine gun directed at enemy Japanese attacking aircraft until ordered to leave the bridge."Miller was personally awarded the medal by Admiral Chester Nimitz. He was the first African-American to be awarded the honor.

157. Doris Miller Awarded Navy Cross, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii

IDNO:
052132
Title:
Doris Miller Awarded Navy Cross, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii
Date:
1942/05/27
Description:
Miller was a member of the U.S.S. West Virginia as a Messman Third Class during the attack on Pearl Harbor. He was awarded the Navy Cross--the third highest navy award for gallantry during combat--for "distinguished devotion to duty, extraordinary courage and disregard for his own personal safety during the attack. Miller, despite enemy strafing and bombing and in the face of serious fire, assisted in moving his Captain who had been mortally wounded to a place of greater safety and later manned and operated a machine gun directed at enemy Japanese attacking aircraft until ordered to leave the bridge."Miller was personally awarded the medal by Admiral Chester Nimitz. He was the first African-American to be awarded the honor.
Fern Evan's husband, GM3e Woodrow W. Evans was killed aboard the U.S.S. West Virginia during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, leaving Fern to support herself and their 20 month old son. Subsequently, Mrs. Evans was employed at a West Coast aircraft plant. She's shown here working on a radio bracket for a bomber.

158. Fern Evans in West Coast Aircraft Plant

IDNO:
052258
Title:
Fern Evans in West Coast Aircraft Plant
Date:
1942/05
Description:
Fern Evan's husband, GM3e Woodrow W. Evans was killed aboard the U.S.S. West Virginia during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, leaving Fern to support herself and their 20 month old son. Subsequently, Mrs. Evans was employed at a West Coast aircraft plant. She's shown here working on a radio bracket for a bomber.
Captain Bennion was killed during the attack on Pearl Harbor, December 7, 1941. As he laid mortally wounded on the West Virginia's command bridge, Bennion refused to be removed from his burning ship. He continued to give orders, directing his crew's actions. Bennion's last order to his men before he died was to leave him and "abandon ship." Captain Bennion was posthumously awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor.

159. USN Captain Mervyn S. Bennion, U.S.S. West Virginia

IDNO:
052259
Title:
USN Captain Mervyn S. Bennion, U.S.S. West Virginia
Date:
ca. 1940
Description:
Captain Bennion was killed during the attack on Pearl Harbor, December 7, 1941. As he laid mortally wounded on the West Virginia's command bridge, Bennion refused to be removed from his burning ship. He continued to give orders, directing his crew's actions. Bennion's last order to his men before he died was to leave him and "abandon ship." Captain Bennion was posthumously awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor.
L to R: Jack Miller, Frank Kosa, Clifford Olds.Olds and 2 other crew members , Ronald Endicott and Louis Costin were trapped in a sealed compartment in the West Virginia's bow after it sank on December 7th. Any rescue attempt meant certain death. The 3 stayed alive until December 24th according to a marked calendar found with their bodies which were recovered after the ship was raised from the harbor bottom in May, 1942.

160. U.S.S. West Virginia Sailors Hoist Their Glasses at Monkey Bar, Pearl Harbor, HI

IDNO:
052260
Title:
U.S.S. West Virginia Sailors Hoist Their Glasses at Monkey Bar, Pearl Harbor, HI
Date:
1941/12/06
Description:
L to R: Jack Miller, Frank Kosa, Clifford Olds.Olds and 2 other crew members , Ronald Endicott and Louis Costin were trapped in a sealed compartment in the West Virginia's bow after it sank on December 7th. Any rescue attempt meant certain death. The 3 stayed alive until December 24th according to a marked calendar found with their bodies which were recovered after the ship was raised from the harbor bottom in May, 1942.
The installation of U.S.S. West Virginia's mast nears completion at Memorial Plaza on the campus of West Virginia University. The Mountainlair and Stewart Hall are visible in the background.

161. U.S.S. West Virginia Mast in Memorial Plaza, Morgantown, W. Va.

IDNO:
052287
Title:
U.S.S. West Virginia Mast in Memorial Plaza, Morgantown, W. Va.
Date:
ca. 1961-1963
Description:
The installation of U.S.S. West Virginia's mast nears completion at Memorial Plaza on the campus of West Virginia University. The Mountainlair and Stewart Hall are visible in the background.
Bell of the U.S.S. West Virginia before installation on the campus of West Virginia University. The bell was dedicated on December 7, 1967, and joined the mast of the U.S.S. West Virginia in Memorial Plaza.

162. U.S.S. West Virginia Bell Prior to Installation, Morgantown, W. Va.

IDNO:
052288
Title:
U.S.S. West Virginia Bell Prior to Installation, Morgantown, W. Va.
Date:
ca. 1967
Description:
Bell of the U.S.S. West Virginia before installation on the campus of West Virginia University. The bell was dedicated on December 7, 1967, and joined the mast of the U.S.S. West Virginia in Memorial Plaza.
"The guns of U.S.S. West Virginia (BB-48) in operation. L.C.M.'s in foreground." L.C.M. stands for Landing Craft Mechanized.

163. United States Fleet off Leyte, Philippines

IDNO:
052334
Title:
United States Fleet off Leyte, Philippines
Date:
1944/10
Description:
"The guns of U.S.S. West Virginia (BB-48) in operation. L.C.M.'s in foreground." L.C.M. stands for Landing Craft Mechanized.
U.S.S. West Virginia (BB-48) anchored in an unidentified location.

164. U.S.S. West Virginia

IDNO:
052335
Title:
U.S.S. West Virginia
Date:
undated
Description:
U.S.S. West Virginia (BB-48) anchored in an unidentified location.

165. Aerial View of U.S.S. West Virginia

IDNO:
052336
Title:
Aerial View of U.S.S. West Virginia
U.S.S. West Virginia in dry dock, likely in Newport News, Va. during construction. The keel was laid down in April 1920, and the ship was launched in November 1921.

166. U.S.S. West Virginia in Dry Dock

IDNO:
052337
Title:
U.S.S. West Virginia in Dry Dock
Date:
ca. 1920-1921
Description:
U.S.S. West Virginia in dry dock, likely in Newport News, Va. during construction. The keel was laid down in April 1920, and the ship was launched in November 1921.
"The W. Va. is shown as she was photographed at a dry dock in Pearl Harbor. The battleship was severely damaged in the Japanese raid Dec. 7, 1941. Damages to her sides are visible."

167. U.S.S. West Virginia in Dry Dock, Pearl Harbor, Hi.

IDNO:
052338
Title:
U.S.S. West Virginia in Dry Dock, Pearl Harbor, Hi.
Date:
1943/05/25
Description:
"The W. Va. is shown as she was photographed at a dry dock in Pearl Harbor. The battleship was severely damaged in the Japanese raid Dec. 7, 1941. Damages to her sides are visible."