Project 888
Name: George Edwin MILLER
Rank / Rating: F1-Fireman First ClassService #: 959 06 36 DOB: Aug 24, 1917 From: Marinette, WI Parents: Charles Gustaf and Emelie Strom Miller Went Aboard: Apr 27, 1944 Age When Ship Went Down: 27 years, 11 months, 6 days Spouse: Caroline Alice Puls Miller Children: Patsy Mae Miller Grandchildren: Bio Submitted By: Patricia Stephens (Admin) |
 MILLER, George E |
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Fireman First Class George Edward Miller was born August 24, 1917, in Marinette, Wisconsin.
He registered for the WWII draft on October 16, 1940 at age 23. He was employed with the WPA Program working in Marinette General Hospital.
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| He enlisted in the Navy on January 20, 1944 at Milwaukee, WI. After completing basic training at Great Lakes, IL., George boarded Indianapolis on April 27, 1944 as a Fireman 1c. From June 1944 to March 31, 1945, George participated in five of the ten major engagements for which Indianapolis won ten battle stars. George was on board Indianapolis at Hunter’s Point when a large wooden box was lifted onto its deck by a large crane. No one, not even Captain McVay, knew its content. Captain McVay had only been told that the delivery of this box would end WWII. The crew, like George, never knew what was in that box. The Indy delivered and unloaded the box and two canisters at Tinian as the Indy crew watched. After checking in at Guam, Indy sailed unescorted on a route to join other ships for the planned invasion of Japan. Indy was sunk by torpedoes from a Japanese submarine. 879 men were killed to include George Edward Miller, at age 27. At the time of the sinking July 30, 1945, George left behind his wife, Caroline Alice Miller, and their 5 year old daughter, Patsy Mae, born May 18, 1938. His daughter had a memorial placed for him in the Veterans Cemetery in Springfield, Missouri. Above is a photograph taken of the family just before he shipped out from Hunter’s Point. Most men had returned home on leave while the Indy was being repaired from damages by a kamikaze attack on March 31, 1945, but were called back suddenly for the secret mission. George did not know this would be his last time to be with his wife and daughter. Source: Ancestry.com. Wisconsin, U.S., Birth Records, 1812-1921 [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com. Original data: Wisconsin Department of Health Services. Madison, Wisconsin. Index citing George Edwin Miller, b. 24 Aug 1917, Marinette, WI. Archives of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America; Elk Grove Village, Illinois, USA; Swedish American Baptisms, Marriages, Deaths, and Burials; ELCA Film Number: A225(2); SSIRC Film Number: S-225. Online at Ancestry. "Ministerial Acts" citing birth and baptism of Patsy Mae Miller Navy Department, Casualty Section, Office of Public Information (1946): Combat Connected Naval Casualties, WWII, by States; Vol. MT-WY; WI, p. 14; citing George Edwin Miller; wife Caroline Miller. Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/193780465/george_edwin-miller: accessed August 25, 2025), memorial page for F1 George Edwin Miller (24 Aug 1917-30 Jul 1945), Find a Grave Memorial ID 193780465, citing U.S.S. Indianapolis National Memorial, Indianapolis, Marion County, Indiana. | |
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