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Franklin D. Miller
Franklin Douglas "Doug" Miller (January 27, 1945–June 30, 2000) was a United States Army Special Forces staff sergeant during the Vietnam War who was awarded the United States military's highest decoration—the Medal of Honor—for his actions above and beyond the call of duty on January 5, 1970. He was also awarded a Silver Star, two Bronze Stars, and six Purple Hearts during his six years service in Southeast Asia. A native of Elizabeth City, N.C., Miller eventually retired from the U.S. Army as a command sergeant major in 1992 before becoming a benefits counselor for the Veterans Administration.[1] BiographyMiller joined the U.S. Army from Albuquerque, New Mexico on February 17, 1965. After basic training and advanced infantry training, he deployed in March 1966 to Vietnam. Assigned to the 1st Cavalry Division, he operated in An Khe which is located in the Central Highlands of South Vietnam.[2] He undertook two years of airborne infantry reconnaissance work in Vietnam before volunteering for the U.S. Army Special Forces course at Ft. Bragg, North Carolina. After completing the course, he was first assigned to the 5th Special Forces Group in Vietnam.[3] Miller also became a member of the elite and highly-secretive Military Assistance Command, Vietnam - Studies and Observations Group (MAC-V SOG).[N 1] On January 5, 1970, Staff Sergeant Miller, who was administratively a member of the 5th Special Forces Group, was leading a joint American-South Vietnam Montagnard tribesmen (nicknamed "Yards") long-range reconnaissance patrol operating deep within enemy-controlled territory in and from Kontum Province, Vietnam when his seven-man team was attacked by a platoon size North Vietnamese reconnaissance force in Laos[4] after one of his Montagnard team members tripped an enemy booby trap wounding five team members. Miller was wounded in the chest, and single-handedly held off an enemy assault, and arranged for a helicopter extraction of his surviving comrades, and again fought off the enemy alone until relief arrived; four team members were killed and all were wounded.[4] For his actions during the battle, in which he was seriously wounded, he was presented the Medal of Honor by President Richard M. Nixon at a White House ceremony on June 15, 1971. Miller retold the story of that day in Vietnam, along with other experiences from his career in the Army Special Forces, in his memoir, Reflections of a Warrior: Six Years as a Green Beret in Vietnam. After receiving the medal, Miller asked to be returned to his unit in Vietnam. During his years (1966-1967, 1968–1972) in Vietnam, he had taken part in many secret operations and raids which included going across the borders of Cambodia and Laos. He left the Republic of Vietnam in November 1972. Miller retired from the U.S. Army on December 1, 1992, as a command sergeant major, and joined the Veterans Administration where he worked as a benefits counselor. He died in 2000 at age 55 from cancer and was cremated, with his ashes scattered in New Mexico. Miller was survived by a son, Joshua; a daughter, Danielle; and a brother, Walter, of Palmer, Alaska, who is also a retired command sergeant major of the Army Special Forces.[1] The Franklin D. Miller Trust was established to provide material support for his two children. Range 37, part of Fort Bragg, North Carolina, was rededicated in Miller's honor in 2002. Medal of Honor citationMiller's Medal of Honor citation reads: Rank and organization: Staff Sergeant, U.S. Army, 5th Special Forces Group, 1st Special Forces
Military awardsMiller's military decorations and awards include:
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References
External links Wikiquote has quotations related to Franklin D. Miller.
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