Clement Woodnutt Miller

Clement Woodnutt Miller (October 28, 1916 – October 7, 1962) was an American World War II veteran and politician who served two terms as a U.S. representative from California from 1959 to 1962. He was killed in a plane crash during his second term in office.

Early life and career Clement Miller was born in Wilmington, Delaware, on October 28, 1916. He graduated from the Lawrenceville School, from Williams College, Williamstown, Massachusetts, in 1940, and briefly attended Cornell University School of Industrial and Labor Relations in 1946.

World War II He enlisted in the United States Army in 1940, serving as a private in the 258th Field Artillery Regiment. He was discharged in 1945 as a captain. During his military career, he had service in the Netherlands and Germany.

After the war He became a veterans service officer in Nevada in 1946 and an employment service official for the State of Nevada, in 1947. He then became a field examiner and hearing officer for the National Labor Relations Board for Northern California from 1948 to 1953.

He became a landscape consultant in 1954.

Tenure in Congress He ran for Congress in 1956 but was unsuccessful. He ran again in 1958 and was elected as a Democrat to the Eighty-sixth Congress. In 1960, he was re-elected to the Eighty-seventh Congress. Of note, Miller authored the legislation that established Point Reyes National Seashore.

Death and burial He served in Congress from January 3, 1959, until his death in an airplane accident near Eureka, California, on October 7, 1962. He was interred in Point Reyes National Seashore, north of San Francisco, California.

Legacy He was a grandson of Charles R. Miller and a nephew of Thomas W. Miller, and the grandfather of poet and rapper George Watsky.

In 1962, was elected posthumously to the Eighty-eighth Congress. A special election was held in 1963 and the seat was filled by Donald Clausen, Miller’s opposition in the 1962 general election.

He was the author of the book Member of the House: Letters of a Congressman.

Electoral history