Martin  Elmer  MILLER  Jr

"Muzz"

 USS Miantonomah

Map of Normandy American Cemetery

Miantonomah arrived Bristol, England on 16 May and began duty with the 12th Fleet. She operated out of Bristol until D-Day, 6 June, when she steamed via Cardiff to Plymouth, England. She continued dispatch and escort duties in British waters until arriving off Grandcamp, France on 25 June. There she embarked Rear Admiral John E. Wilkes and became flagship for CTF 125. She steamed to Cherbourg on 9 July, and on the 18th Admiral Wilkes hauled down his flag prior to Miantonomah's departure to England.

Arriving Plymouth, later that day, Miantonomah returned to Cherbourg on the 20th carrying supplies for port clearance operations. For more than two months, she made runs between English and liberated French ports and provided valuable support for salvage and clearing operations. On 21 September, she carried port clearance supplies from Cherbourg to Le Havre, which was liberated by sea and land less than two weeks before.
Miantonomah sailed early in the afternoon of the 25th. Because of the danger of enemy mines, her skipper — Cdr. Austin E. Rowe — ordered "the highest state of watertight integrity to be set and all personnel not actually on watch below to be on topside and wear lifejackets" — measures which undoubtedly saved many lives. With a French harbor pilot at the conn, she skillfully navigated the inner and outer harbors and cleared the blockships, thence made course for the entrance to the marked channel. As she steamed about 2,000 yd (1,800 m) out from the blockships, she was rocked at 14:15 by a tremendous underwater explosion under the engine room. This blast — possibly followed by a second one — dazed or injured practically the entire crew. Immediately, the stricken ship began to sink rapidly by the stern and to starboard.
Damage control efforts proved useless, and as Coast Guard vessels, British motor launches, and a French fishing craft stood by to rescue survivors, her injured skipper ordered Miantonomah to be abandoned. She sank about 20 minutes after the explosion with a loss of some 58 officers and men.

His father served during WWI.

He was engaged in the Champagne-Marne, Aisne Marne and was gassed on 8 August 1918 after which he was send home and received an honorable discharge on 18 February 1919 at Camp Meade in Maryland.

Father of

Martin

Martin Elmer MILLER Sr

Company D

8^th Infantry Regiment

28^th Infantry Division

His father served during WWI.

He was engaged in the Champagne-Marne, Aisne Marne and was gassed on 8 August 1918 after which he was send home and received an honorable discharge on 18 February 1919 at Camp Meade in Maryland.