World War II Honoree

Johnny Russell 'Jay' Miller

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

Honored By

Robert S. Cox

ENTERED MILITARY SERVICE IN MAY, 1944. SERVED IN THE AMERICAN THEATER AND LATER OVERSEAS IN THE ASIATIC-PACIFIC THEATER WITH THE 21ST BOMBARDMENT SQUADRON, 501ST BOMBARDMENT GROUP. STATIONED AT DALHART ARMY AIR FIELD, TEXAS AND HARVARD ARMY AIR FIELD, NEBRASKA, AND OVERSEAS AT NORTHWEST FIELD ON GUAM IN THE MARIANA ISLANDS BEGINNING IN APRIL, 1945. PARTICIPATED IN THE AIR OFFENSIVE-JAPAN, AND WESTERN PACIFIC CAMPAIGNS. HIS B-29 'SUPERFORTRESS' VERY HEAVY BOMBER SQUADRON ENTERED COMBAT ON JUNE 19, 1945 WITH THE BOMBING OF THE TRUK ISLAND GROUP IN THE CAROLINE ISLANDS, AND FLEW ITS FIRST MISSION AGAINST JAPAN ON JUNE 27, 1945. THEN OPERATED PRIMARILY AGAINST JAPAN'S PETROLEUM INDUSTRY ON HONSHU, IN THE HOME ISLANDS. AFTER THE WAR, THE SQUADRON FLEW MISSIONS TO AIRDROP SUPPLIES TO ALLIED PRISONER OF WAR CAMPS. AWARDED THE ASIATIC-PACIFIC CAMPAIGN MEDAL, AND WWII VICTORY MEDAL. AUTHORIZED THE PRESIDENTIAL (DISTINGUISHED) UNIT CITATION FOR EXTRAORDINARY HEROISM IN ACTION BY HIS UNIT OVER JAPAN DURING THE PERIOD JULY 6-13, 1945. HONORABLY DISCHARGED IN MARCH, 1946 AND ISSUED THE HONORABLE SERVICE LAPEL BUTTON.