CLAIR L. MILLER, CDR, USN

Clair Miller '29

Date of birth: April 9, 1907

Date of death: January 21, 1945

Age: 37

Lucky Bag

From the 1929 Lucky Bag:

CLAIR LEMOINE MILLER

Marion, Indiana

"Clair"

HERE'S a Hoosier of whom any state might well feel proud. A serious nature, an exceptionally active mind, and a keen sense of humor, have made him a natural leader. He has led for four happy years. His leadership has not been confined to the classroom and social activities; the athletic field claims its share of his time, and here, also, Clair excels.

Football in the fall, basketball during the winter months, and lacrosse in the spring, each finds in him a player with a true master's form and touch. At the end of Youngster year he wore a sweater decorated with two N-stars, a record which few men have equalled. Basketball brought another, Second Class year, and the captaincy of this sport was added to his growing list of honors.

Clair has never had a nickname, for there are none to fit. His is a distinctive nature. A feeling of seeming coldness, which one has upon first meeting him, changes to a sincere friendship upon better acquaintance. His election to the office of Class President shows in what esteem he is held by his classmates; the esteem of men for one who is able to lead them and still not lose that feeling of class comradeship. The years by the Severn have brought him many sincere friendships; it is with deepest regret that we must say "Good-bye."

Basketball 4, 3, 2, 1; 1929 4; N* 3, 2; N 1; Captain 4, 1. Class President 2, 1. Football 4, 3, 2, 1; 1929 4; NA 3; N 2, 1. Gymkhana 2. Lacrosse 4, 3, 2, 1; N* 3; N 2, 1. N.A.C.A 2, 1; Secretary 2; Vice-President 1. Pep Committee 3, 2, 1. Four Stripes.

CLAIR LEMOINE MILLER

Marion, Indiana

"Clair"

HERE'S a Hoosier of whom any state might well feel proud. A serious nature, an exceptionally active mind, and a keen sense of humor, have made him a natural leader. He has led for four happy years. His leadership has not been confined to the classroom and social activities; the athletic field claims its share of his time, and here, also, Clair excels.

Football in the fall, basketball during the winter months, and lacrosse in the spring, each finds in him a player with a true master's form and touch. At the end of Youngster year he wore a sweater decorated with two N-stars, a record which few men have equalled. Basketball brought another, Second Class year, and the captaincy of this sport was added to his growing list of honors.

Clair has never had a nickname, for there are none to fit. His is a distinctive nature. A feeling of seeming coldness, which one has upon first meeting him, changes to a sincere friendship upon better acquaintance. His election to the office of Class President shows in what esteem he is held by his classmates; the esteem of men for one who is able to lead them and still not lose that feeling of class comradeship. The years by the Severn have brought him many sincere friendships; it is with deepest regret that we must say "Good-bye."

Basketball 4, 3, 2, 1; 1929 4; N* 3, 2; N 1; Captain 4, 1. Class President 2, 1. Football 4, 3, 2, 1; 1929 4; NA 3; N 2, 1. Gymkhana 2. Lacrosse 4, 3, 2, 1; N* 3; N 2, 1. N.A.C.A 2, 1; Secretary 2; Vice-President 1. Pep Committee 3, 2, 1. Four Stripes.

Loss

Clair was lost when USS Ticonderoga (CV 14) was struck by a kamikaze on January 21, 1945 while operating off Formosa. He was the ship's air officer and earned a Navy Cross (below) for this action.

Other Information

From researcher Kathy Franz:

Clair graduated from Marion high school in 1924. Spanish Club ’21, ’22: “M” Club; Football ’22, ’23; Second Team Basketball ’23, ’24; Baseball ’21; Fighting Forty ’23. Clair was a valuable asset to the grid team, as the man who threw the passes. His loss will be felt. On the football page: Miller tossed the passes. A sub last year, he produced the stuff this season and gained the position of quarter-back. His accurate hurling of passes paved the way to many touchdowns, and his work on defense was good.
Clair enlisted in the Navy in June, 1924. He attended the Naval Academy Preparatory School in Norfolk before earning entrance to the Academy through examination.
As a second-class midshipman at the Academy, Clair was also sub-commander of the regiment and president of the Academy’s Christian Association.
In April, 1934, Clair was one of 75 fliers in the long-distance mass flight from San Diego to the Panama Canal Zone.
He married Ruby Lee Bliss, and they had sons Barry, born in Virginia, and Dale, born in the District of Columbia. They later divorced. His second wife was Sylvia.
In 1910, his father Frank worked at the U. S. Glass Company in Marion. In 1920, he was a foreman at a box company in Center, Indiana. Clair’s mother was Maunta, and his brother was Harry.

His wife was listed as next of kin.

Photographs

From his high school yearbook
From his high school yearbook
From his high school yearbook

Navy Cross

From Hall of Valor:

The President of the United States of America takes pride in presenting the Navy Cross (Posthumously) to Commander Clair Lemoine Miller (NSN: 0-62654), United States Navy, for extraordinary heroism and distinguished service in the line of his profession while serving as Air Officer on board Aircraft Carrier U.S.S. TICONDEROGA (CV-14), while deployed over Formosa, on 21 January 1945. Commander Miller repeatedly risked his life in directing and coordinating the Air Department crews in fighting fires and jettisoning bombs. With the ship under continuing air attacks he went to an exposed station to better direct his men. As the second suicide plane dove on the ship he ordered his men to take cover while he chose to remain on station, and lost his life in the resulting explosion. His great personal courage and outstanding ability were an inspiration to his officers and men. He was declared "dead" and his remains were buried at sea from the U.S.S. TICONDEROGA on 22 January 1945.
General Orders: Board Serial 2468 (September 9, 1948)
Service: Navy
Rank: Commander

Navy Directories & Officer Registers

The "Register of Commissioned and Warrant Officers of the United States Navy and Marine Corps" was published annually from 1815 through at least the 1970s; it provided rank, command or station, and occasionally billet until the beginning of World War II when command/station was no longer included. Scanned copies were reviewed and data entered from the mid-1840s through 1922, when more-frequent Navy Directories were available.