Page 12 - DFCS NEWS MAGAZINE 2020-1

Member Spotlight – Capt. James Ely Miller
Long Due Tribute Rendered
By J. Bruce Huffman
The Distinguished Flying Cross Society was honored to field an inquiry from
Byron Derringer, the great grandson of Capt. James Ely Miller, who was seeking a description of the medal for valor he would receive on his great grandfather’s behalf. Byron spent four years doing research to substantiate the awards request for his great grandfather, some of which were detailed in a letter received from none other than the Secretary of War in 1943. His efforts were about to be satisfied with an awards ceremony that took place at Quarters One, during the 242nd Birthday Tattoo of the United States Army.
Realizing the magnitude and historical significance of the event, permission was sought and granted to provide an additional honor from the Distinguished Flying Cross Society to the family.
The fuse was short with the opportunity great, so an outreach was made to one of our members to represent the Society at the upcoming event. Col. Phil Roberts, USAF
(Ret.), himself a four-time recipient of the Distinguished Flying Cross, Air Force Academy graduate (64), and former Chairman of the National Aviation Hall of Fame, graciously gave of his time and resources to rise to the moment.
Capt. James Ely Miller was born on March 24, 1883 in Smithtown, New York. He attended Berkley Prep School and Yale University, graduating in 1904 with the highest honors. While at Yale, he was a celebrated oarsman and a “Bonesman”. Miller went on to be a Vice President of the Columbia Trust Company, New York and Manager of its Fifth Avenue office. He trained at his own expense in 1916 to earn his pilot's license and Reserve Military Aviator rating with the Governors Island Training Corps. He was also an organizer, along with Major Raynal Bolling (Joint Base Anacostia– Bolling), of the 1st Reserve Aero Squadron, which would eventually become the Air Force Reserve Command. Following the U.S. declaration of war on Germany in 1917, his reserve unit was activated and joined the U.S. Aero Squadron at Plattsburg, New York.
He left his wife and then seven-year-old daughter behind and by July of 1917, Captain Miller had been appointed Commanding Officer of the U.S. Army 3rd Aviation Instruction Center, located at lssoudon, France.
Some of Miller’s interactions included running into the son of a factory worker, while in Paris, asking him to be his engineeringofficer.Thesonofthefactoryworkerquicklyagreedontheconditionthathecouldtakeflighttraining. Miller agreed, introducing him into his social circle of friends and taught him to fly after Col. Billy Mitchell was persuaded to release him from his current assignment. The young officer’s name was Eddie Rickenbacker.
Chafing under the strain of inaction and anxious to get into the fight, on March 9, 1918 Miller flew his gun-less Nieuport 28 over to Coincy, headquarters of a French SPAD outfit, where he joined Majors Johnson and Harmon, who were temporarily attached, to beg for three armed SPAD’s from the
French for a ‘wildcat’ patrol above the Champagne front.
Major Harmon's SPAD very quickly developed engine trouble and he returned to Coincy. Miller, flying SPAD S.VII.C.I, SN 3144, with Maj. Johnson on his wing, was initially attacked by two German fighters, two miles above Juvincourt-et-Damary, which they successfully evaded. Spotting two additional German fighters, Major Johnson abandoned the fight, claiming later that his guns had jammed, leaving Captain Miller alone. Miller continued to press the attack. A Fokker D.VII, piloted by LT R. Hildebrandt of Jagdstaffel 13, spiraled down toward him and he evaded his thrust by going into a spin and recovered after a few turns. That was about the last seen of him by Major Johnson, as sight was lost of Miller’s aircraft above the forest of Corbeny.
12 / DFCS News Magazine / SUMMER 2020