WASHINGTON, D.C. — On Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day, U.S. Senator Angus King, a member of the Senate Veterans Affairs (SVAC) and Armed Services Committees (SASC), released his latest episode of “Answering the Call: Maine’s Veteran Voices.” In the 16th interview of the series, produced in partnership with the Library of Congress’ Veterans History Project, Senator King spoke with U.S. Navy veteran Bob Miller of Millinocket, who turned 101 on December 7th.

Miller served in the Navy during World War II as a naval aviation mechanic and shipman, operating in both the Atlantic and Pacific theaters. During the interview, King asked about Miller’s experiences onboard naval ships during the war, as well as his efforts to preserve and share his story as a veteran in Maine. 

“Bob Miller’s life and service embody the sacrifice and resilience that define the Greatest Generation,” said Senator King. “Bob’s journey through the ranks — from young seaman to seasoned mechanic to flight deck director — tells the story of an individual who not only answered the call to serve, but did so with extraordinary courage and skill. His story embodies the countless sacrifices made during World War II, and it was a privilege to hear him recount his experiences — and reliving the historical significance of Pearl Harbor on December 7th, which is also his birthday. Happy 101st, Bob, and thank you for your incredible service to our nation.”

Bob Miller was born in Long Island, New York, to Russian immigrant parents. At 13, he joined the Jr. Naval Reserve, and at 17, with his father’s approval, he enlisted in the Navy. Following boot camp in Rhode Island, Miller served onboard the USS Constellation and later attended machinist school in Illinois. Over the course of his career, Miller went on to serve aboard several ships, including the USS Wyoming and the USS Raven, where he encountered German U-boats for the first time.

On his 18th birthday, the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor marked the United States’ entry into World War II. Miller was reassigned for aviation mechanic training, and went on to serve onboard the USS Ranger, USS Charger, and USS Suwannee. He participated in major campaigns, including Operation Torch, the Allied Invasion of French West Africa. Later, he served in the Pacific onboard the USS Chenango, where he gained a reputation as a highly-sought after aviation mechanic. He also took on additional responsibilities as a flight deck director and briefly transferred to the Army to assist with their aviation mechanic needs.

Miller’s wartime service continued onboard the USS Tulagi, participating in Operation Dragoon, the 1944 invasion of Southern France. The ship was later redeployed to the Pacific, where it  took part in the liberation of the Philippines and the battle for Iwo Jima. During this mission, Miller and his fellow seamen endured kamikaze attacks by Japanese forces. Although the ship sustained minimal damage, both it and the crew were ordered back to the United States.

After the war, Miller served on the USS Chloris, specializing in aircraft engine repairs. Miller’s final assignment was with the Hurricane Hunters squadron, and he was honorably discharged in January 1947. 

In civilian life, Miller held various jobs, including positions at Republic Aviation and Herman’s World of Sporting Goods. He married his wife Irene, whom he met on a blind date, and together they raised their family in New York before retiring in Florida. After Irene’s passing in 2004, Miller’s son Steven took his father on a cross-country trip to visit national parks and family.

In 2019, Miller moved to Maine to live with Steven in Millinocket. Miller became an active member of the Millinocket American Legion. Miller’s daughter attended the University of Maine, and Steven was briefly stationed at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard when he followed his father’s footsteps and joined the Navy. His children helped him compile his World War II experiences into an 85-page memoir, based on the diaries he kept during the war. The digitized memoir will be preserved as part of the Veterans History Project collection.

The Veterans History Project is an effort by the Library of Congress to collect, preserve and distribute the personal accounts of American war veterans so that future generations may hear directly from veterans and better understand the realities of war. The interviews and primary documents from the project are then used by researchers, historians, students, and filmmakers across the country. Senator King joins many other members of Congress who’ve participated in the project.

Representing one of the states with the highest rates of veterans per capita, Senator King is a staunch advocate for America’s service members and veterans. Senator King uses this interview series to learn and share the stories of the lives, service, and sacrifices of Maine’s veteran community. As one of the Senate’s most prominent voices on the need to address veterans suicide, Senator King has repeatedly pressed top Department of Defense officials for action on this issue. This summer, Senator King introduced the Lethal Means Safe Storage for Veteran Suicide Prevention Act, aimed at reducing suicides among veterans by providing firearm lockboxes and bolstering mental health training for VA caregivers. A committed advocate for amplifying veteran voices, Senator King also held a field hearing focused on long-term care in Maine. Additionally, he led a bipartisan letter calling for more support for victims of military sexual trauma, as well as a letter urging greater investment in traumatic brain injury research, the signature wound of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars.

You can watch previous episodes of “Answering the Call: Maine’s Veteran Voices” here.

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