Navy Chef Was Doing Laundry, Then He Heard A Noise That Made His Heart Stop

Doris Miller had a wayward path that dropped him off in the US military, but he never expected to become a hero. When an unexpected ambush sent his base into a panic, however, Miller answered the call of duty without a second thought. Leaving behind his delinquent upbringing in Waco, Texas, to become one of the most decorated Black veterans in American history, Doris Miller is an American legend you have to know about.

Waco Born

Doris' life was interesting from his earliest moments — there was a reason he had such an unusual name. His parents hired a midwife to deliver him in 1919, but she thought he was a girl when he first came out! That ended up yielding the name Doris, which ended up sticking.

Hard Work Early

But Miller's life wouldn't be easy. From an early age, Doris was a hard worker who helped out a ton on the family farm he grew up in. It happened in the form of chores, meals, and laundry. Doris was also excelling at sports, especially football, at Alexander James Moore High School in Waco.

Bad Student

While he knew how to play ball better than most of his classmates, Doris wasn't doing great academically. By the time he turned 17 in 1937, he was still repeating the eighth grade and finally decided to drop out of school. Soon, a certain hobby would draw him to the army.

Hobby Hunter

Doris began spending his free time hunting squirrels with a .22 rifle. At the same time, he took a course in taxidermy. With a lot of passion but no academic standing, he applied to join the Civilian Conservation Corps, but was turned down. So he went back to working on his father's farm.