Operation: Escort on shipping strike, New Britain

Date: 17th February 1944 (Thursday)

Unit No: Fighting Squadron 17 (VF-17), United States Navy (USN)

Type: F4U-1A Corsair

Serial: #unknown

Code: unknown

Base: Piva Airfield, Bougainville

Location: Lakunai airdrome, Rabaul, New Britain

Pilot: Lt (Jg). James Larkin ‘Jamey’ Miller DFC, O-130048 USNR Age 23. PoW */Died

* Tunnel Hill PoW Camp, Rabaul, New Britain

Above: Enhanced image of Lt (Jg). James L. Miller DFC (extracted from and courtesy of The Kansas City Star, dated 13th March 1949)

REASON FOR LOSS:

On the 17th February 1944 twenty (20) F4U-1A Corsairs from VF-17 ‘The Jolly Rogers’ were detailed on an escort to SBD’s in a joint SBD and TBF strike on shipping in Simpson Harbour, Rabaul, New Britain. They approached over St. George’s Channel and Credner Islands, where the bombers let down through the overcast.

Up to fifty (50) enemy fighters intercepted the formations as they turned over Credner Islands. In the engagements that followed VF-17 lost two pilots.

Lt (Jg). Miller’s Corsair which was hit by accurate Anti-Aircraft (AA) fire whilst flying over Lakunai airdrome at about 10,000 ft which blew off about 5 ft from his right wing. The crippled aircraft spiralled down to about 5,000 ft before Lt (Jg). Miller baled out and landed on the airdrome runway. He was last seen alive on the ground and even waved to his wingman before the Japanese surrounded him.

The other loss was ENS. Clyde H. Dunn O-157314 USNR who had shot down a Zeke (Zero) before he was shot down by enemy fighters over the target. His remains have not been recovered and is posted MiA.

It was later established that Lt (Jg). Miller had been captured and held at the 6th Field Kempeitai Headquarters (HQ) PoW Compound. On the 2nd March 1944 after the 6th Field Kempeitai HQ was destroyed in a bombing raid he was amongst the approximately fifty-three (53) PoWs who were transferred to another camp known as the Tunnel Hill Cave PoW Camp in a mountain pass named Tanoura on Tunnel Hill road, which was about 2½ miles from Rabaul City and between Rabaul and Pilapila.

In his affidavit 1st Lt. Jose L. Holguin reported that in his opinion because of gross negligence by the Japanese in not providing adequate food and medical attention Lt (Jg). Miller died on the 7th May 1945 from Beriberi and Dysentery.

An overview of the investigation into the circumstances of the deaths and those deemed to be responsible for executions and atrocities is summarised in the report entitled “Talili Bay Massacre, New Britain”.

On the 29th December 1945, the remains of four (4) Allied personnel were found in graves located at a second location near an old gun site at the Tunnel Hill ‘Banana Grove’ PoW Camp.

The name of Lt (Jg). Miller and the other three (3) were translated from the cross over the graves, checked with the Japanese Military Police records and a list provided by Capt. John J. Murphy. 1st Lt. Tuck and AOM2c. Lanigan were found in one grave:

1st Lt. Harold R. Tuck O-23078 USMCR;
ENS. Donald D. Atkiss 263870 USNR;
AOM2c. Richard I. Lanigan 3381863 USNR.

Lt (Jg). Miller was posthumously awarded with the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) which was promulgated inn the Bureau of Naval Personnel Information Bulletin No. 333 (December 1944)

Citation: ‘The President of the United States of America takes pride in presenting the Distinguished Flying Cross (Posthumously) to Lieutenant, Junior Grade James Miller (NSN: O-130048), United States Navy, for extraordinary achievement while participating in aerial flight while piloting a Fighter Plane in the New Britain area from 25 January to 17 February 1944. Lieutenant, Junior Grade, Miller participated in numerous escort missions and fighter sweeps over this strategic area and pressed home attacks skillfully despite intense enemy opposition. While escorting our bombers on a strike against Lakunai airfield, he was wounded early in the action but he fought his badly damaged plane courageously, shooting down one Japanese plane and damaging another. In a later mission he destroyed one fighter and probably two others before his plane was hit and he was forced to bail out’.

Burial details:

Lt (Jg). James Larkin Miller. Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC), Purple Heart (PH). Repatriated and laid to rest at the Fort Leavenworth National Cemetery, Section 2, Grave 250 on the 17th March 1949. Born on the 7th August 1921 in Kansas City, Wyandotte County, Kansas. Son of Jesse Larkin and Lilly Belle (née Bigler) Miller of Kansas City, Wyandotte County, Kansas. Husband to Betty Jeanne (née Sharpe) Miller of Haskell, Kansas City, USA.

Obituary for Lt (Jg). James Larkin Miller (Courtesy of The Index, dated 31st March 1949)

Researched by Ralph Snape for Aircrew Remembered and dedicated to the pilot and his relatives (Jun 2026).

Other sources listed below:

Reference(s):

1. NAA: 336/1/1955 Part 7

Those who have long enjoyed such privileges as we enjoy forget in time that men have died to win them. Franklin Delano Roosevelt