ADThe torpedo blast destroyed Miller’s ammo that day, and he was forced to the deck, where he carried injured sailors to safety. After Dec. 7, Miller was hailed in news reports only as an “unnamed Negro messman hero.”Miller wouldn’t remain anonymous forever. He was the first black recipient of the Navy Cross medal — the highest decoration after the Medal of Honor. ADAnd 78 years later, the Navy will name a $12.5 billion aircraft carrier in his honor, the Honolulu Star-Advertiser first reported, on Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Miller’s story was used to help drive recruitment of black sailors.

Source: Washington Post January 19, 2020 14:48 UTC