Co-op Shows Its Pride In Dorie Miller
By KAITLYN KILMETIS
Dorie Miller was an extremely likable man, a giving person, a terrific athlete and a source of envy when he set foot on the dance floor."Sailors are known to dance but Dorie, he was an exceptionally good dancer," Miller's classmate Clark Simmons recalled in a nostalgic tone.
Miller was also a modest man, so modest that when met up with his pal Simmons on the ravaged shores of Honolulu in the months following Pearl Harbor, the Navy cook failed to mention that during the Dec. 7 invasion he had carried a number of wounded soldiers to safety and manned an anti-aircraft gun, which he had never been trained to use, to take down Japanese bomber planes.
Months later, when Simmons first learned about his friend's heroism in a newspaper article, he was neither stunned nor shocked. The account of the medal-worthy actions sounded just like his humble classmate.
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| Queens Borough President Helen Marshall joins members of the Dorie Miller Stamp Committee at an unveiling ceremony of the U.S. Postal Stamp at Corona's Dorie Miller Cooperative Houses. |
More than six decades after the attack on Pearl Harbor, an 88-year-old Simmons served as the keynote speaker at an event in the Corona housing co-op named for his friend and fellow World War II Veteran. This Saturday, the Dorie Miller Houses held a gathering to celebrate the newly-released commemorative stamp honoring Miller.
Simmons, who met Miller in 1939 at a Navy training camp and also was stationed at Pearl Harbor during the attack, said he was proud to attend the event and encourage attendees to participate in the co-op's mission - to ensure Miller's legacy lives on.
"This group is such an active group and they have done such a wonderful job letting everyone know why the co-op was named after him, the kind of man he was and how he was a hero in World War II," Simmons said.
Yvonne Lambie, a member of the co-op's Dorie Miller Stamp Committee, said it was especially poignant to hear Simmons' insight into Miller's personality.
"Commander Simmons said if Dorie Miller was here to see this he would be so very proud," she said. "He was the kind of man that was low key. He would never have dreamed such a big celebration could come as a result of people embracing him."
Lambie said she was moved by the overwhelming response of all the attendees.
"Friendship, camaraderie, interest, enthusiasm," she said. "To think a one-inch stamp exploded to bring out all these people…All this from just a little stamp."
Another member of the committee, Pat Watkins, said it was an honor to see so many community members recognizing the legacy of the hero the co-op members hold in such high regard.
"It was heart warming to have so many people come from outside the co-op and want to be there for this event honoring him," she said.
One of those people was Borough President Helen Marshall, who said we are all indebted to Miller for his service to humanity.
"Miller was a remarkable hero, whose dedication to duty and ultimate sacrifice has lived on for generations," she said. "He was a brave seaman who helped to save lives while his ship was under attack by Japanese fighter planes at Pearl Harbor. He received the Navy Cross for his extraordinary courage under fire. Just a year later, he made the ultimate sacrifice for his country when his ship was torpedoed.”
Stamp Committee Chairwoman Carolyn Carter-Kennedy said as an educator it was invigorating to see the audience learn about Miller and honor his memory.
"It was truly a wonderful event," she said. "It was a great day. We actually added a page of history to the legacy of Dorie Miller."
Carter-Kennedy said she was glad to know all the event's attendees will serve as fellow torch bearers, keeping Miller's story alive.
"I believe people went away with a sense of pride and they also went away knowing that they have a responsibility to pass this on," she said. "You can't keep this kind of information just for yourself."
Reach Reporter Kaitlyn Kilmetis at kkilmetis@queenstribune.com, or (718) 357-7400, Ext. 128.