John C. Miller Jr.

John Carroll Miller Jr. (December 25, 1912 – July 29, 2000) was a decorated officer in the United States Marine Corps with the rank of Brigadier general.

A veteran of the Pacific War, he was wounded twice and received decorations for valor on Saipan and Okinawa.

He remained in the Marines and retired as Brigadier general and Commanding general, Landing Force Training Command, Atlantic.

John C. Miller Jr. was born on Christmas Day 1912 at Lake Andes, South Dakota, the son of John C. Miller and Hazel Peck.

He graduated from high school there in summer 1931 and entered the University of South Dakota in Vermillion, South Dakota.

While at the University, Miller was a member of the Reserve Officers' Training Corps.

He graduated with a Bachelor's degree in June 1935 and was commissioned as a second lieutenant of Infantry in the United States Army Reserve.

Miller resigned his reserve commission in order to accept appointment as a second lieutenant in the United States Marine Corps on September 10, 1935.

He was subsequently ordered to the Basic School at the Philadelphia Navy Yard for basic officer training and was a member of the largest Basic School class to that date.

This class provided two future Marine Corps Commandants (Leonard F. Chapman Jr. and Robert E. Cushman Jr.), five lieutenant generals (Lewis J. Fields, Frederick E. Leek, Herman Nickerson Jr., William J. Van Ryzin, Richard G. Weede), five major generals (William R. Collins, William T. Fairbourn, Bruno Hochmuth, Raymond L. Murray, Carey A. Randall) and six brigadier generals (William W. Buchanan, Odell M. Conoley, Frederick P. Henderson, Roy L. Kline, Miller Jr. and Thomas F. Riley).

Miller completed the school in May 1936 and was attached to the Marine Detachment aboard the battleship USS New Mexico.

He participated in the patrol cruises to Hawaii until August 1937, when he was ordered to China for duty with the 6th Marine Regiment stationed as the part of Brigadier General John C. Beaumont's 2nd Marine Brigade at Shanghai International Settlement.

He served in Shanghai during the outbreak of hostilities between China and Japan and returned with his regiment to the United States in April 1938.

He was then stationed at Marine Barracks, San Diego and received a promotion to first lieutenant in October 1938.

Miller was transferred to the Marine Barracks at Mare Island Navy Yard in May 1939 and assumed command of local barracks Marine Detachment in October that year.

While in this capacity, he also saw temporary additional duty at the receiving ship, San Francisco, California in connection with Western Division Rifle and Pistol Matches.

With the increasing danger of Japanese expansion in the Pacific during 1939, chairman of Navy's Special Board, Admiral Arthur J. Hepburn, recommended the activation of Marine defense battalions.

These special Marine units were designated the defense force of the Pacific naval bases and should be placed on Midway Atoll, Wake Island, Johnston Atoll and Palmyra Atoll.

In August 1940, Miller joined the 1st Defense Battalion under Lieutenant Colonel Bertram A. Bone in San Diego and embarked for Pearl Harbor in February 1941, where he was promoted to Captain in November that year.

Single detachments of the battalion were emplaced on Midway, Wake, Johnston and Palmyra Atolls.

During the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, Miller participated in the defense of the harbor and later commanded 5"/51 caliber gun detachment at Palmyra Atoll. While there, he was promoted to Major in May 1942.

Miller was ordered to Johnston Atoll in February 1943 and joined the newly established 16th Defense Battalion under Lieutenant Colonel Richard P. Ross.

He assumed duty as Executive officer of the battalion and was promoted to lieutenant colonel in July that year.

He was ordered to San Diego, California one month later and assumed duty as Area Ordnance Officer, Fleet Marine Force, San Diego area under Major General Clayton B. Vogel.

After a period of heavy fighting on Tarawa in the Gilbert Islands in November 1943, the 8th Marine Regiment under Lieutenant Colonel John H. Griebel needed rest and refit.

He was responsible for the supplying of units in San Diego with weapons and ammunition, including their procurement and maintenance until February 1944, when he was ordered back to Hawaii for duty as Commanding officer, 3rd Battalion, 8th Marines attached to 2nd Marine Division under Major General Thomas E. Watson.

Miller spent four months with the intensive training in the mountainous area between the great volcanoes of Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa and finally embarked with his battalion for Saipan in late May 1944.

Miller took part in the main landing on June 15, 1944 and was badly wounded by mortar fragments during the approach to the beach.

He remained in command of his battalion and directed operation of his battalion until he was wounded again and ordered to the rear by his superior officer.

For his leadership on Saipan, Miller was decorated with a Bronze Star Medal with Combat "V" and two awards of the Purple Heart for wounds.

He served as Regimental operations officer during the period of intensive training at Pavuvu Island, Russell Islands, where 5th Marine Regiment was stationed for rest and refit after heavy fighting on Peleliu during September-October 1944.

The situation similar with that one with 8th Marines on Hawaii back in early 1944.

Shortly thereafter, Miller was attached as an observer to the Army's 7th Infantry Division under Major General Archibald V. Arnold and participated in combat in the Philippines and Okinawa.

He was hospitalized at Naval Hospital, San Diego until January 1945, when he was declared fit for duty and embarked again for Pacific area.

Miller joined 5th Marine Regiment under his old superior officer, now Colonel John H. Griebel, who received his new command following promotion.

While on Okinawa, he rejoined 5th Marine Regiment on April 4, 1945, when commanding officer of 3rd Battalion, Major John H. Gustafson, was wounded in action and Colonel Griebel needed replacement.

Miller assumed temporary command of the battalion and participated in heavy combat in the Awacha pocket, a Japanese stronghold built into a maze of clifflike ridges and tangled gorges.

After repeated Marine attacks with the support of Air, Artillery, tank and naval gunfire support, the Japanese resistance was crushed on May 15, 1945.

For his service on Okinawa, Miller received his second Bronze Star Medal.

He was subsequently relieved and returned to the United States.