1-1                                     1                                  
 1-2                         SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 1111
 1-3                                  In Memory
 1-4                                     of
 1-5                                Doris Miller
 1-6           WHEREAS, The Senate of the State of Texas takes pride in
 1-7     remembering World War II hero Doris "Dorie" Miller on the occasion
 1-8     of the Doris Miller Celebration being held on May 25, 2001, at the
 1-9     State Capitol; and
1-10           WHEREAS, Dorie Miller was born in Waco in 1919; after
1-11     unsuccessfully trying to enlist in the Civilian Conservation Corps,
1-12     he enlisted in the United States Navy in 1939; and
1-13           WHEREAS, In the early morning of December 7, 1941, Dorie's
1-14     ship, the U.S.S. West Virginia, was among those attacked at Pearl
1-15     Harbor; and
1-16           WHEREAS, During the attack, 22-year-old Dorie assisted the
1-17     mortally wounded captain of the West Virginia out of the line of
1-18     fire to a sheltered spot; Dorie accomplished this in the middle of
1-19     heavy fire and the detonation of bombs all around him; and
1-20           WHEREAS, While struggling back to the bridge through the
1-21     debris, Dorie came upon a machine gun whose gunner had been killed;
1-22     although Dorie had never been trained to use the weapon, he began
1-23     firing at the Japanese planes with telling effect and continued
 2-1     firing until the crew was ordered to abandon the ship; and
 2-2           WHEREAS, For his heroism on board the West Virginia,
 2-3     Dorie Miller received the Navy Cross, the United States Navy's
 2-4     highest honor, from Admiral Chester Nimitz during a ceremony on
 2-5     the flight deck of the U.S.S. Enterprise at Pearl Harbor on
 2-6     May 27, 1942; Dorie was the first African American to receive this
 2-7     award; and
 2-8           WHEREAS, Later assigned to the U.S.S. Liscome Bay in the
 2-9     Pacific, Dorie was on board on November 24, 1943, when the light
2-10     aircraft carrier was sunk by a submarine; 272 sailors survived but
2-11     646 were lost, and Dorie was officially presumed dead a year and a
2-12     day after the carrier went down; and
2-13           WHEREAS, A man of great honor and courage, Dorie Miller is a
2-14     true Texas hero; now, therefore, be it
2-15           RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas,
2-16     77th Legislature, hereby honor the memory of Doris Miller, an
2-17     outstanding man of valor and courage; and, be it further
2-18           RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be prepared as an
2-19     expression of the highest respect of the Texas Senate.
2-20                                                              Barrientos
2-21                                  ______________________________________
2-22                                         President of the Senate
2-23                                       I hereby certify that the above
2-24                                  Resolution was adopted by the Senate
2-25                                  on May 21, 2001, by a rising vote.
2-26                                  ______________________________________
2-27                                         Secretary of the Senate
2-28                                  ______________________________________
2-29                                           Member, Texas Senate