Franklin D. Miller

Command Sergeant Major Franklin Douglas "Doug" Miller (January 27, 1945 – June 30, 2000) was a United States Army Special Forces staff sergeant during the Vietnam War who was awarded the United States military's highest decoration—the Medal of Honor—for his actions above and beyond the call of duty on January 5, 1970. He was also awarded a Silver Star, two Bronze Stars, and six Purple Hearts during his six years service in Southeast Asia.

A native of Elizabeth City, North Carolina, Miller eventually retired from the U.S. Army as a command sergeant major in 1992 before becoming a benefits counselor for the United States Department of Veterans Affairs.

Biography Miller joined the U.S. Army from Albuquerque, New Mexico, on February 17, 1965. After basic training and advanced infantry training, he deployed in March 1966 to Vietnam. Assigned to the 1st Cavalry Division, he operated in An Khe which is located in the Central Highlands of South Vietnam. He undertook two years of airborne infantry reconnaissance work in Vietnam before volunteering for the U.S. Army Special Forces course at Ft. Bragg, North Carolina. After completing the course, he was first assigned to the 5th Special Forces Group in Vietnam. Miller also became a member of the elite and highly-secretive Military Assistance Command, Vietnam - Studies and Observations Group (MAC-V SOG).

On January 5, 1970, Staff Sergeant Miller, who was administratively a member of the 5th Special Forces Group, was leading a joint American-South Vietnam Montagnard tribesmen (nicknamed "Yards") long-range reconnaissance patrol operating deep within enemy-controlled territory in and from Kontum Province, Vietnam when his seven-man team was attacked by a platoon size North Vietnamese reconnaissance force in Laos after one of his Montagnard team members tripped an enemy booby trap wounding five team members. Miller was wounded in the chest, and single-handedly held off an enemy assault, and arranged for a helicopter extraction of his surviving comrades, and again fought off the enemy alone until relief arrived; four team members were killed and all were wounded.

Military awards Miller's military decorations and awards include:

UnitsMACV-SOG5th Special Forces GroupRankCommand Sergeant Major (E-9)