World War II Honoree

Charles J. Miller

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Pateros, Washington

Honored By

Jean Miller and Lt. Col. Charles T. Borg, USA (Ret.)

Relationship

Wife and Family Friend

JOINED IN MAY 1942 AND RECEIVED FLIGHT TRAINING AT ELLINGTON FIELD, TEXAS. IN AUGUST 1943 COMMISSIONED 2ND LIEUTENANT AND BECAME A COMMAND PILOT IN B-24 LIBERATOR BOMBER. TRANSFERRED TO EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN THEATER IN LATE 1943 AND ASSUMED FLIGHT DUTIES IN NORTH AFRICA. IN EARLY 1944, ASSIGNED TO 737TH SQUADRON OF 545TH BOMBARDMENT GROUP BASED AT SAN GIOVANNI, ITALY. FROM APRIL 1944 TO APRIL 1945, FLEW 43 COMBAT MISSIONS TARGETING ENEMY INDUSTRIAL FACTORIES, OIL REFINERIES AND COMMUNICATION LINES IN NORTHERN ITALY, ROMANIA, GERMANY, AUSTRIA AND HUNGARY. INCLUDED IN THESE MISSIONS WERE RAIDS ON RAIL YARDS AND OIL REFINERIES AT PLOESTI, ROMANIA, THE GERMAN AIRCRAFT FACTORIES AT REGENSBURG AND MISSIONS TO NORTHERN FRANCE TO SUPPORT ALLIED LANDINGS AT NORMANDY ON JUNE 6, 1944. DISCHARGED IN SEPTEMBER 1945 HOLDING THE RANK OF FIRST LIEUTENANT. RECEIVED AIR MEDAL WITH 4 OAK LEAF CLUSTERS, AMERICAN THEATER MEDAL, EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN THEATER MEDAL WITH 2 BATTLE STARS FOR THE AIR WAR IN SOUTHERN EUROPE AND SUPPORT OF THE NORMANDY INVASION AND THE WWII VICTORY MEDAL.