Joseph Dale Miller was born in Onaga, Kansas on 11 December 1924. He was the fourth child born to Hermia and Horace Greely Miller, and grew up with older siblings Donald and Helen. Another sister, Alice, died in infancy in 1919.

“Dale” lived in Onaga as a youth; the family moved to Manhattan, Kansas in the 1930s and Dale attended Manhattan High School. In the early 1940s, the family moved to Fort Riley and the living quarters of Horace’s employer, Union Pacific Railroad.

Dale turned eighteen in December of 1942; he registered for Selective Service the day after Christmas. On 16 January 1943, he was inducted into the Marine Corps at Kansas City, Missouri.

Private Miller attended boot camp at MCRD San Diego and trained as an aviation radioman. He was assigned to VMTB-232 (the veteran “Red Devils” of Guadalcanal fame) as the squadron transitioned to Avenger torpedo bombers in the spring of 1943. Miller flew with a new pilot, 1Lt. Philip Field, and a veteran turret gunner, Sgt. Edward R. Dzama.

PFC Miller deployed to the Pacific in mid-1943 and flew a number of missions in the Solomons as a “Red Devil” aviator.

On 26 October 1943, TBF-1 Avenger #06416 took off from Guadalcanal on a mission to bomb Kahili airfield on the island of Bougainville. Lieutenant Field, Sergeant Dzama, and PFC Miller were at their regular stations: Field in the cockpit, Dzama in the turret, and Miller manning the radio.

The American strike force met no Japanese fighters over the target, but faced “intense heavy, moderate light” antiaircraft fire as they dropped their bombs. Lieutenant Field’s Avenger took a hit in the engine which started a fire. The pilot managed to pull the bomber out of its gliding approach, but the engine failed and the flaming airplane dove into the water.

Two of the three-man crew managed to jump from the falling Avenger. Only one parachute opened and drifted slowly down over Bougainville. The other flyer fell into the water and disappeared from view.

Because nobody knew if the parachutist was Field, Dzama, or Miller, all were reported as missing in action. The two enlisted men were declared dead on 27 October 1944; Field followed on 11 January 1946.

“First Lieutenant Philip Field, pilot, Sergeant Edward R. Dzama, turret gunner, and Private Joseph D. Miller, radio gunner, flying in Plane BuNo. 06414 were observed to pull out of glide at 1000 feet. The engine was on fire and, after making a turn to the left, the plane dove into the water at a 20 degree angle between the beach and Erventa Island. Two men were seen to jump; one chute opened, the other did not and the man was seen to go into the water. No other information was obtainable.”
– war diary of VMTB-232, 26 October 1943.

CENOTAPHS

Manila American Cemetery and Memorial