Franklin D. Miller

Franklin Douglas "Doug" Miller (January 27, 1945–June 30, 2000) was a United States Army Green Beret who was awarded the United States military's highest decoration—the Medal of Honor—for his actions in 1970 during the Vietnam War.^[1] He was also awarded a Silver Star, two Bronze Stars and six Purple Hearts.

A native of Elizabeth City, N.C., Miller eventually retired from the Army as a command sergeant major in 1992 before becoming a benefits counselor for the Veterans Administration.^[2]

Biography

Miller joined the Army from Albuquerque, New Mexico in 1966, and in March of that year deployed with the 1st Cavalry Division to An Khe, Vietnam, in the Central Highlands.^[3] He undertook two years of airborne infantry reconnaissance work before he decided to join the special forces.^[4] Miller became a member of the elite and highly-secretive Military Assistance Command, Vietnam - Studies and Observations Group (MAC-V SOG).^{[N 1]}

On January 5, 1970, Staff Sergeant Miller, who was administratively a member of the 5th Special Forces Group, was leading a joint American-Vietnamese long-range reconnaissance patrol operating deep within enemy-controlled territory in Kontum Province, Republic of Vietnam when his team was ambushed by a numerically-superior enemy force. He single-handedly held off an enemy assault, arranged for a helicopter extraction of his surviving comrades, and again fought off the enemy alone until relief arrived. For his actions during the battle, in which he was seriously wounded, he was awarded the Medal of Honor in July 1971. Miller retold the story of that day, along with other experiences from his career in the Special Forces, in his memoir, Reflections of a Warrior: Six Years as a Green Beret in Vietnam.

In 1992, Miller retired from the Army as a command sergeant major and joined the Veterans Administration where he worked as a benefits counselor. He died in 2000 at age 55 and was cremated, with his ashes scattered in New Mexico.^[1] Miller was survived by a son, Joshua; a daughter, Danielle; and a brother, Walter, of Palmer, Alaska, who is also a retired command sergeant major of the Special Forces.^[2] The Franklin D. Miller Trust was established to provide material support for his two children.

Range 37, part of Fort Bragg in North Carolina, was rededicated in Miller's honor in 2002.

Medal of Honor citation

Staff Sergeant Miller's official Medal of Honor citation reads:

For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. S/Sgt. Miller, 5th Special Forces Group, distinguished himself while serving as team leader of an American-Vietnamese long-range reconnaissance patrol operating deep within enemy controlled territory. Leaving the helicopter insertion point, the patrol moved forward on its mission. Suddenly, 1 of the team members tripped a hostile booby trap which wounded 4 soldiers. S/Sgt. Miller, knowing that the explosion would alert the enemy, quickly administered first aid to the wounded and directed the team into positions across a small stream bed at the base of a steep hill. Within a few minutes, S/Sgt. Miller saw the lead element of what he estimated to be a platoon-size enemy force moving toward his location. Concerned for the safety of his men, he directed the small team to move up the hill to a more secure position. He remained alone, separated from the patrol, to meet the attack. S/Sgt. Miller single-handedly repulsed 2 determined attacks by the numerically superior enemy force and caused them to withdraw in disorder. He rejoined his team, established contact with a forward air controller and arranged the evacuation of his patrol. However, the only suitable extraction location in the heavy jungle was a bomb crater some 150 meters from the team location. S/Sgt. Miller reconnoitered the route to the crater and led his men through the enemy controlled jungle to the extraction site. As the evacuation helicopter hovered over the crater to pick up the patrol, the enemy launched a savage automatic weapon and rocket-propelled grenade attack against the beleaguered team, driving off the rescue helicopter. S/Sgt. Miller led the team in a valiant defense which drove back the enemy in its attempt to overrun the small patrol. Although seriously wounded and with every man in his patrol a casualty, S/Sgt. Miller moved forward to again single-handedly meet the hostile attackers. From his forward exposed position, S/Sgt. Miller gallantly repelled 2 attacks by the enemy before a friendly relief force reached the patrol location. S/Sgt. Miller's gallantry, intrepidity in action, and selfless devotion to the welfare of his comrades are in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit on him, his unit, and the U.S. Army.^[5]

Awards and Decorations

Badge	Combat Infantry Badge
1st row	Medal of Honor
2nd row	Silver Star Medal		Bronze Star Medal (2) with "V" Device		Purple Heart (6)
3rd Row	Air Medal		Army Commendation Medal		National Defense Service Medal
4th Row	Vietnam Service Medal		NCO Professional Development Ribbon		Army Service Medal
5th Row	Army Overseas Service Ribbon		Vietnam Military Merit Medal		Vietnam Campaign Medal
Badge	U.S. Army Airborne Master Parachutist

Units	MACV-SOG			5th Special Forces Group
Rank	Command Sergeant Major (E-9)

See also

• List of Medal of Honor recipients for the Vietnam War
• 5th Special Forces Group
• Military Assistance Command, Vietnam - Studies and Observations Group (MAC-V SOG)

References

Notes

Citations

Bibliography

External links

• "Franklin D. Miller". SFAHQ compilation on Miller, including photos. Franklin D. Miller Trust. Retrieved 2007-10-29.