Walter Amos Miller
Corporal Walter A. Miller served with How Company, Second Battalion, 2nd Marines.
He was killed in action at Betio, Tarawa atoll, on 20 November 1943.
Branch
Marine Corps Regular
Service Number 350124
Current Status
Remains Not Recovered
Pursuit Category
This case is under Active Pursuit by the DPAA.
Capsule History
Pre-War Life
Birth
April 23, 1914
Ocheyedan, IA
Parents
Leroy J. Miller
Lizzie (Huge) Miller
Education
Details unknown
Occupation & Employer
General laborer
Tule Lake, California
Service Life
Entered Service
January 14, 1942
at Los Angeles, CA
Home Of Record
Ocheyedan, IA
Next Of Kin
Mother, Mrs. Lizzie Miller
Military Specialty
—
Primary Unit
H/2/2nd Marines
Campaigns Served
Guadalcanal
Tarawa
Individual Decorations
Purple Heart
Additional Service Details
—
Loss And Burial
Circumstances Of Loss
Corporal Walter Miller served with Company H, 2nd Marines during the Tarawa campaign. His company was armed primarily with water-cooled machine guns and 81mm mortars.
As the heavy weapons outfit of their battalion, How Company’s Marines were attached to different assault units for the 20 November 1943 landings on Betio. Their primary objective was to cross Beach Red 2 and support the advance of rifle platoons advancing towards the airfield. However, furious Japanese opposition destroyed unit cohesion and the gunners wound up fighting where they could, with what weapons they managed to bring ashore.
Corporal Miller suffered a gunshot wound to the chest on the day of the landings, and died on Betio at the age of 29.
Burial Information or Disposition
None recorded; identifiable remains were not recovered.
A memorial marker was erected in Cemetery 11, Grave 8, Row 1, Plot 1.
Next Of Kin Address
Address of mother, Mrs. Lizzie Miller.
Location Of Loss
Corporal Miller’s company landed on Betio’s Beach Red 2.
