Fallen Crew Members of

USS KIDD (DD-661)

JOHN HENRY MILLER, JR.

John Henry Miller, Jr., was born on June 11, 1926, in Loysville, Pennsylvania, to parents John Henry Miller, Sr., and Ethel May Miller.  He was the couple's only son and one of four children.  He grew up with three sisters—Gladys (Dobyns), Mary (Short), and Pauline (Krause).

John quit high school in Iksburg, Pennsylvania, and in October of 1944, he joined the Navy in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, at the age of eighteen.  At the time, he was living in Newport, Pennsylvania, and signed up with a friend who lived near him.  The pair was sent to boot camp at the Naval Training Station at Great Lakes, Illinois.

On January 02, 1945, Miller reported aboard the USS KIDD (DD-661) at Mare Island from the Receiving Barracks in Shoemaker, California.  He served aboard the KIDD for just four short months as a Seaman 2nd class.  During that time, he was assigned to the  deck division and to the twin 40mm gun mount on the port side forward.

At the time of the impact of the kamikaze against the KIDD's starboard side on April 11, 1945, John was seen walking aft of his gun mount.  Following this moment, he was not seen again.  In the aftermath of the attack, he was listed as M.I.A. (Missing In Action) along with shipmates William M. Abernethy, Charles N. Allwhite, Charles E. Green, Clifford E. Kemmerer, and Jack L. Walsh.  However, as the chaos of the attack receded and the KIDD left the front lines en route to Ulithi Atoll, that list was shortened by the recovery efforts going on in the forward fireroom.  Only Miller and Charles Green remain unaccounted for to this day and their names do not appear on the burial-at-sea lists of April 12 or April 15 or the burial detail for Ulithi Atoll of April 17.  It has been suggested that John may have been blown over the side during the impact and subsequent explosions.

If anyone has additional information on or stories regarding John Henry Miller, Jr., that they would like to contribute, please contact us at Info@usskidd.com.

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