Willard Miller

{{Short description|United States Navy Medal of Honor recipient}}

{{Infobox military person

|name=Willard Dwight Miller

|birth_date={{Birth date|1877|6|5}}

|death_date={{Death date and age|1959|2|19|1877|6|5}}

|birth_place=Maitland, Nova Scotia, Canada

|death_place=

|placeofburial=Arlington National Cemetery

|image=Willard D Miller.jpg

|caption=Willard D. Miller

|nickname=

|allegiance=United States of America

|branch=United States Navy

|serviceyears=

|rank=Seaman

|commands=

|unit={{USS|Nashville|PG-7}}

|battles=Spanish–American War
*Battle of Cienfuegos

|awards=Medal of Honor

|laterwork=U.S. Lighthouse Service

|relations=Harry H. Miller, brother – fellow Medal of Honor recipient

}}

Willard Dwight Miller (June 5, 1877 – February 19, 1959) was a United States Navy sailor and a recipient of America's highest military decoration—the Medal of Honor—for his actions in the Spanish–American War.

Biography

File:Willard D Miller USLS.jpg

Willard Miller was born in Maitland, Nova Scotia on June 5, 1877. He enlisted in the U.S. Navy from the state of Massachusetts and served during the Spanish–American War as a crew member of the gunboat {{USS|Nashville|PG-7}}. On May 11, 1898, he took part in a small boat operation that cut the underwater telegraph cable off Cienfuegos, Cuba, and received the Medal of Honor for his conduct during the action (the Battle of Cienfuegos).

Miller's younger brother, Harry Herbert Miller, was also awarded the Medal of Honor for the same action, making the two men one of only eight pairs of brothers to be awarded the medal.{{Hall of Valor|3120|name=Willard D. Miller|accessdate=November 25, 2014}}

Miller left the Navy in 1906 and later served in the U.S. Lighthouse Service.

He died on February 19, 1959, at age 81 and is buried in Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington County, Virginia.[https://www.arlingtoncemetery.mil/Explore/Notable-Graves/Medal-of-Honor-Recipients/Spanish-American-War-MoH-recipients/Willard-D-Miller Arlington National Cemetery] His grave can be found in Section 46, Lot 15.[https://ancexplorer.army.mil/publicwmv/#/arlington-national/search/results/1/CgZtaWxsZXISB3dpbGxhcmQaAWQ-/ Burial Detail: Miller, Willard D] – ANC Explorer

Medal of Honor citation

Seaman Miller's official Medal of Honor citation reads:

On board the U.S.S. Nashville during the operation of cutting the cable leading from Cienfuegos, Cuba, May 11, 1898. Facing the heavy fire of the enemy, Miller displayed extraordinary bravery and coolness throughout this action.